Gujarat HC refuses bail in cyber fraud run through 142 bank accounts; economic offence, no parity with employee co-accused
The question: Is the applicant entitled to bail after the chargesheet in a large economic offence involving mule bank accounts?
The Gujarat High Court has refused successive regular bail after chargesheet to a man accused of running a large cyber fraud through 142 bank accounts and 14 fictitious firms, holding that it was a serious economic offence and that he could not claim parity with a co-accused who acted at his behest. Justice Hasmukh D. Suthar relied on the Supreme Court's observations in Rakesh Mittal v. Ajay Pal Gupta on bail in offences of a pecuniary nature, but directed the trial court to expedite the trial and provide legal aid if needed. The applicant, Kalpeshbhai Rajeshbhai Chunilal Jinjuwadia Soni, sought bail under Section 483 BNSS in C.R. No. 11191011260172 of 2026 of DCB Police Station, Ahmedabad City, for offences under Sections 317(2), 318(3) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He has been in custody since 18 June 2026. The investigation is over, the chargesheet has been filed and the prosecution has cited 187 witnesses. He argued that his role was limited to that of a broker and employee who opened bank accounts for a salary of Rs 30,000 a month, that nothing remained to be recovered, and that parity applied with co-accused Pankaj.