Taking a strong stand against the surge in cyber fraud, the Rouse Avenue Court has said cybercrime poses a serious threat to society and courts should avoid granting anticipatory bail in such cases. The observation came while rejecting anticipatory bail pleas filed by 3 accused in a large online fraud case.
Calling cyber fraud a form of “new-age dacoity”, the court said its impact extends beyond financial loss and damages public trust, institutional credibility, and the safety of digital transactions. Referring to available data, the court noted that residents of Delhi lost nearly ₹1,250 crore to cyber fraud in the past year. At the national level, losses have crossed ₹20,000 crore, an amount comparable to the annual budget of a small state.
According to the first information report, a private firm, M.S. Lord Mahavir Services India Private Limited, procured 7,721 SIM cards from a telecom operator during 2024–25. Investigators allege these SIM cards were a key tool in carrying out large-scale cyber fraud.
The probe revealed that callers impersonated officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, law enforcement agencies, and other government bodies to threaten victims and extract money. Prosecutors told the court that the company submitted a fake list of end users to obtain the SIM cards, which were issued in the names of individuals who were not company employees.
The court was informed that the operation was part of a well-organised criminal network. SIM cards were allegedly obtained using forged documents and deployed across multiple fraud modules. The court said these facts showed deep involvement in organised cybercrime.
Citing the seriousness of the allegations, the court rejected anticipatory bail pleas of Anik Jain, Amardeep Sharma, and Arihant Jain. The accused face charges related to criminal conspiracy, cheating, and multiple provisions of the Information Technology Act in a case registered by the central investigation agency.
The court added that the investigation is at a crucial early stage, with the total number of victims yet to be identified. Custodial interrogation may be required, and any relief at this stage could affect the probe.
Investigators also found the use of illegal SIM boxes to route international calls as local numbers and mule bank accounts opened in the names of economically vulnerable individuals. While cybercrime cases are rising, recovery rates in Delhi have improved from around 10% to nearly 24%.
Citizens have been advised to report cyber fraud within 24 hours by calling 1930 or filing complaints on the National Cyber Crime Portal.
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