Punjab & Haryana High Court Grants Bail To Bank Relationship Manager Accused In ₹1.03 Crore 'Digital Arrest' Case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail to a Relationship Manager of Canara Bank accused of facilitating the opening of a bank account, allegedly used in a cyber-fraud case involving “digital arrest” scam, where a woman from Mohali was duped of ₹1.03 crore by impersonators posing as police and CBI officials.

Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj, noted the "clean antecedents of the petitioner, absence of recovery, the arguable issues with respect to the role and responsibility of the petitioner as also the fact that further custodial detention of the petitioner is not warranted for investigation of the present case."

The petition was filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking bail in FIR registered under multiple provisions of the BNS, 2023—Sections 308(2), 318(4), 127(7), 61(2), 238, 316(5), 337, 338, 340—and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act, at Police Station Cyber Crime, SAS Nagar, Mohali.

According to the FIR, complainant Charanjit Kaur received WhatsApp calls  from individuals posing as police personnel from Colaba Police Station, Mumbai. One caller, identifying himself as “Vijay Khanna”, informed her that fraudulent accounts had been opened using her Aadhaar and that she was facing arrest.

She was told she could be “digitally arrested” if unable to appear physically. Throughout a prolonged video call spanning 11–14 April 2025, she observed uniformed men and a Police Station Colaba background, and was threatened not to disconnect the call.

It was submitted that under the guise of verification and investigation, she was compelled to transfer large sums: ₹57 lakh via RTGS,  ₹29 lakh shortly thereafter and ₹17 lakh on 17.04.2025

On 18.04.2025, she was instructed to visit the local police station for an “NOC”, where she discovered the fraud and filed a complaint, leading to registration of the FIR.

Counsel for the petitioner argued that he was merely a Relationship Manager who facilitated account opening based on documents submitted; he was neither responsible for verifying KYC documents nor involved in any forgery.

Relying on an affidavit filed by the SP (Cyber Crime), Mohali, the State submitted that the petitioner assisted in opening a fake account in the name of a fictitious person, Mohammad Pasha, without proper verification. However, the State could not point to any standard bank protocol proving that KYC verification was the duty of the Relationship Manager.

Allowing the petition, the Court directed that the petitioner be released on regular bail upon furnishing requisite bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court/Duty Magistrate.

Mr. Harsh Chopra, Advocate and Ms. Sukriti Verma, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Mohit Kapoor, Senior DAG, Punjab.

Title: SHAIK NOUSHAD AHAMMED v. STATE OF PUNJAB

Click here to read order