In a strong observation on rising cyber fraud, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a man accused of involvement in an illegal call centre scam, highlighting the wider risks such crimes pose to digital trust.
The case was heard by Justice Sumeet Goel, who noted that cybercrimes have the ability to impact multiple victims at once, often through a “single act.” The court stated, “The proliferation of online fraud and cybercrimes poses a significant threat, as it systematically erodes public confidence in digital financial transaction platforms. Such erosion runs counter to the aspirations of an advanced and digitally empowered ‘Digital Bharat’ and thus warrants a heightened degree of judicial circumspection.”
According to the court, the illegal call centre was allegedly involved in defrauding both Indian and foreign nationals through fraudulent calls. It described cybercrime as a “silent virus” that is insidious and disruptive, affecting not just finances but also trust, security, and national progress.
The court further emphasised that such coordinated cyber fraud operations are serious offences with far-reaching consequences. It noted that custodial interrogation of the accused may be necessary to determine his role, awareness, and links with other co-accused. Granting anticipatory bail at this stage, the court said, could hamper the ongoing investigation.
The case originated from an FIR filed after a police officer received information on September 19, 2025, about an illegal call centre. A raid was conducted, where 11 individuals were found allegedly making fraudulent calls to foreign nationals using software applications like EyeBeam and Zoiper.
During the raid, one of the individuals reportedly revealed that the operation was run by a person named Nikhil, who had rented the premises and hired employees to carry out the fraud. The accused allegedly collected personal and banking details by falsely claiming that narcotic substances were found in victims’ parcels.
The petitioner argued that he was not named in the FIR and was falsely implicated based on a co-accused’s statement. However, the prosecution maintained that the case involved large-scale cyber fraud and serious allegations.
Based on the findings, the court denied the anticipatory bail plea.
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