MUMBAI: A special CBI court on Monday rejected the bail plea of a 19-year-old student, accused of being an “active member” in a high-value transnational cyber fraud racket that allegedly defrauded multiple victims of ₹3.76 crore.
While acknowledging the accused’s young age, the court observed that the seriousness and scale of the offence, coupled with the need to trace other conspirators and preserve electronic evidence, warranted a strict approach.
“Given the young age of the applicant, which may otherwise merit leniency, the gravity and magnitude of this high-value cyber fraud, the role he played, the need to unearth the next layer of cyber criminals, and the extreme ease with which electronic evidence can be tampered with or destroyed compel a stricter view at this stage,” said Special Judge B.Y. Phad, while dismissing the bail plea of Yash Thakur, who has been in custody since July 5.
The court noted that the alleged fraud had a sophisticated international dimension, involving foreign phone numbers and multiple “mule accounts” to route crime proceeds. “The nature of the alleged offence is of paramount concern. While the maximum punishment may be only seven years, this is an economic cyber fraud of huge magnitude affecting multiple victims,” the order stated.
The judge further remarked that releasing the accused at this stage could alert other conspirators and hamper the recovery of funds. “Until a more conclusive part of the investigation—particularly regarding electronic evidence and foreign links—is complete, granting bail would be detrimental to the ends of justice,” the court ruled.
According to the CBI Economic Offences Wing, the main accused, Sudhir Palande, allegedly cheated victims of ₹3.76 crore in 11 separate cyber fraud incidents on a single day—July 2, 2025. The crimes reportedly involved digital arrests, customs fraud, and online financial scams. The proceeds were channelled through a mule account registered under Ms SP Cargo and Courier Services Pvt Ltd.
Investigators alleged that Thakur acted as a middleman, helping Palande by booking hotel rooms in Nagpur, arranging a local address for procuring SIM cards, and facilitating fund transfers. The prosecution also claimed Thakur received a share of the illicit proceeds.
The court concluded that Thakur’s actions “demonstrate deeper inculpatory involvement as an active member of a criminal conspiracy rather than merely being a passive facilitator or a victim of circumstances.”
The CBI is continuing its probe into the larger transnational network involved in the cyber fraud, focusing on money trails and foreign connections linked to the case.
