Mumbai | January 7, 2026: Sending out a strong message against the misuse of bank accounts in cyber fraud cases, a sessions court in Mumbai has rejected the bail plea of a 20-year-old chemistry graduate. The court made it clear that the credit of a portion of the defrauded amount into the accused’s bank account, coupled with multiple similar cases linked to the same account, cannot be brushed aside as an “innocent mistake”.
₹12 Lakh Task Scam and the Money Trail
The case relates to a cyber fraud involving ₹12 lakh, in which the complainant was lured through social media with promises of earning money by completing online “tasks”. After initially being paid small amounts to build trust, she was persuaded to transfer larger sums into various bank accounts. During the investigation, it emerged that ₹23,900 from the total defrauded amount had been credited to the student’s account. According to the court, this fact by itself points towards the accused’s involvement.
Multiple Complaints Point to an Organised Pattern
Additional Sessions Judge B. Y. Phad, in his order, noted that the investigation had further revealed seven other complaints registered against the same bank account on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. “Repeated use of the same bank account in cyber fraud cases does not indicate coincidence or a one-time lapse, but clearly suggests an organised pattern of criminal activity,” the court observed.
The student was arrested on November 11 by the Mumbai Cyber Police. He has been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including cheating. In his bail application, the accused claimed that he was a victim of circumstances, arguing that the money had been credited to his account by mistake and that he had merely transferred it further on someone else’s instructions. He also submitted that he had no prior criminal record and had no connection with the main accused named in the FIR, Neha Thakkar.
Bail Plea, Prosecution Objections, and Wider Implications
The prosecution, however, told the court that cyber complaints linked to the same account had been filed from different states. Police informed the court that tracing of the remaining defrauded amount is still underway and the investigation is at a preliminary stage. Granting bail at this point, they argued, could hamper the probe and obstruct efforts to reach the “kingpins” of the cyber fraud syndicate.
The court also underlined that cyber crimes are increasingly being carried out by organised networks, posing a serious threat to the financial security of ordinary citizens. “In such offences, the role of ‘money mule’ bank accounts is crucial. If prima facie material shows that an account has been consistently used for illegal transactions, the matter cannot be taken lightly,” the order said.
According to the complainant, she was induced to deposit money in phases after being promised high returns. Investigating agencies have pointed out that such “task-based” scams typically involve routing money through multiple bank accounts to make it difficult to identify the ultimate beneficiaries.
Legal experts see the ruling as an important precedent amid the rising number of cyber fraud cases. The order, they say, serves as a clear warning to account holders who allow their bank accounts to be used on others’ instructions without due diligence. The court categorically stated that granting any relief to the accused before the investigation is completed and the entire network is unearthed would not be justified.
