A sessions court in Mumbai has refused bail to a 20-year-old chemistry student, stating that his bank account's involvement in several cyber fraud cases across India rules out the possibility of an "innocent mistake." The student, Tanay Mahatme, was arrested by the Mumbai Cyber Police in November 2025 for his alleged role in a scam that defrauded a victim of more than Rs 12 lakh.
Court Cites Organized Crime Threat
Additional Sessions Judge BY Phad, while rejecting the bail plea, emphasized the serious threat posed by organized cybercrime syndicates to citizens' financial security. The judge noted that the victim lost over Rs 12 lakh, and it was undisputed that a portion of this money was traced to Mahatme's bank account. This connection, the court said, points towards his participation in the crime.
A critical factor in the decision was a report from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), which revealed seven other complaints from different states against the same bank account held by the applicant. "This suggests that the applicant's account is consistently being used for cyber-fraudulent activities, negating the plea of innocent mistake," Judge Phad observed.
Investigation at a Crucial Stage
The court further highlighted that the investigations are still at a primary stage. Granting bail to Mahatme at this juncture could potentially hamper the police's efforts to track down the 'kingpins' of the syndicate. "Hence, the application is liable to be rejected," the judge concluded.
The case originated from a complaint where the victim was allegedly lured through WhatsApp and Telegram into a scheme involving paid "hotel reviews." The victim was eventually manipulated into transferring a total of Rs 12.14 lakh into various bank accounts. Police investigations led them to trace Rs 23,900 of this amount directly to an account held by Tanay Mahatme.
Defence and Prosecution Arguments
Mahatme's defence lawyers argued that he was a "victim of circumstances" who believed the money sent to him was a mistake. They claimed he merely followed instructions to return or transfer the funds further. The defence submitted that Mahatme had no connection with the main accused, Neha Thakkar, and had no intention to cheat anyone. They also pointed to his cooperation with the investigation, his frozen bank account, and his status as a resident of Nashik as reasons to grant him bail.
However, the Mumbai Cyber Police strongly opposed the bail plea. The prosecution presented the NCRP evidence showing the multiple complaints. They argued that the police still need to trace the entire defrauded sum of Rs 12.14 lakh, which was diverted to various accounts, and investigate the technical tools used in the crime. Given the economic nature of the offence, the prosecution warned of a risk that the applicant might abscond or fail to cooperate if released on bail.
The court's ruling underscores the judiciary's growing strictness in cases involving financial cybercrimes, especially when patterns suggest involvement in organized fraudulent activity rather than isolated incidents.
