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High Court of Gujarat

DASUBHA JHALUBHA ZALAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The court held that the applicant is entitled to regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Summary

The petitioner, Dasuba Jhalubha Zala, applied for regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in connection with a FIR alleging cyber‑fraud offences under Sections 318(2), 318(4), 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 61(2) and 54. The State opposed bail, arguing the gravity of the offences and the applicant's involvement. The Court examined the nature of the allegations, noting that the applicant appeared to be a mere intermediary in the alleged money‑laundering scheme and that the offences are triable by a JMFC Court and do not carry life or death sentences. Relying on established bail jurisprudence, including the Supreme Court decisions in Sanjay Chandra v. CBI and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor, the Court held that pre‑trial detention would amount to a de facto conviction, violating Article 21. Consequently, the Court granted regular bail on a personal bond of Rs.25,000 with a surety, subject to several conditions, and ordered the applicant’s release.

Issues considered

  • Whether regular bail can be granted under Section 483 of the BNSS after a charge‑sheet has been filed for the alleged cyber‑fraud offences.
  • Whether the applicant’s alleged role as an intermediary justifies the grant of bail despite the seriousness of the charges.
  • Whether continued pre‑trial detention would contravene the principle of personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
  • How the principles laid down in Sanjay Chandra v. CBI and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor apply to the present bail application.

Legislation cited

Subjects

regular bailSection 483Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitacyber fraudintermediarypre‑trial detentionpersonal libertyArticle 21

Judgment

   R/CR.MA/7370/2026                                      ORDER DATED: 18/06/2026




         IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
    R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR REGULAR BAIL - AFTER
                 CHARGESHEET) NO. 7370 of 2026
==========================================================
                            DASUBA JHALUBHA ZALA
                                    Versus
                              STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR S D MOGHARIYA(11273) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MS SHRUTI PATHAK, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================
 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HASMUKH D. SUTHAR

                                Date : 18/06/2026
                                    ORDER


[1.0] RULE. Learned APP waives service of rule for the
respondent-State.

[2.0] The present application is filed under Section 483 of the
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short “BNSS”) for
regular    bail        in   connection    with      FIR    being       C.R.         No.
11211015250837 of 2025 registered with Dhrangadhra City
Polic Station, Surendranagar, for the offences under Sections
318(2), 318(4), 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 61(2) and 54 of the BNS.

[3.0] Learned advocate appearing on behalf of the applicant
submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely
implicated in the offence. Nothing is required to be recovered or
discovered. He therefore submits that, considering the nature of
the offence, the applicant may be enlarged on regular bail by
imposing suitable conditions.

[4.0] Learned APP appearing on behalf of the respondent-State
has opposed the present application and requested to dismiss
the present application for regular bail on the ground that the



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   R/CR.MA/7370/2026                             ORDER DATED: 18/06/2026




applicant is very much involved in the present offence and
considering the gravity of offence, no case is made out to
entertain present bail application. Therefore, present application
does not deserve consideration.

[5.0] While granting bail, the Court has to consider the
involvement of the accused in the alleged offence, the jurisdiction
to grant bail has to be exercised on the basis of the well settled
principles having regard to the facts and circumstances of each
case and the following factors are to be taken into consideration
while considering an application for bail: (i) the nature of
accusation and the severity of the punishment and the nature of
the materials relied upon by the prosecution; (ii) reasonable
apprehension of tampering with the witnesses and threat to the
complainant or the witnesses; (iii) reasonable possibility of
securing the presence of the accused at the time of trial or the
likelihood of his abscondence; (iv) character behaviour and
standing of the accused and the circumstances which are
peculiar to the accused; (v) larger interest of the public or the
State and similar other considerations are required to be
considered.

[6.0] I have heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of
the respective parties and perused the investigation papers.
Following aspects have been considered:

     (1)      Investigation is over and charge-sheet is filed;
     (2)      Applicant is behind the bar since 16.12.2025;
     (3)      There is nothing to be recovered or discovered from
     the      applicant;


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      R/CR.MA/7370/2026                                ORDER DATED: 18/06/2026




        (4)      Offence is triable by JMFC Court and none of the
        offence alleged is punishable with life sentence or death
        penalty ;
        (5)      The allegations against the present applicant are that
        he, along with the other accused persons, obtained money
        through cyber fraud and transferred the same to several
        bank accounts. It is alleged that the applicant and the co-
        accused withdrew the amounts for their personal benefit
        and subsequently handed over the money to co-accused
        Aman, who in turn transferred it to co-accused Himanshu
        Chaudhary. It is further alleged that the applicant and the
        other accused persons formed an organized racket for
        carrying out such fraudulent activities. The prosecution
        further alleges that the present applicant facilitated the
        transfer of the defrauded amount through an Angadia
        network. However, prima facie, it appears that the present
        applicant acted merely as an intermediary (middleman) in
        the alleged transactions.
        (8)      Obviously commencement and conclusion of trial will
        take its own time.

[7.0] This Court has also taken into consideration the law laid
down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra
vs. Central Bureau of Investigation reported in [2012]1 SCC
40 as well as in the case of Gudikanti Narasimhulu And Ors
vs.    Public       Prosecutor,   High    Court   of     Andhra        Pradesh
reported in (1978)1 SCC 240. Obviously, the conclusion of trial
will take time and keeping the accused behind the bars is
nothing but amounts to pre-trial conviction and therefore,


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   R/CR.MA/7370/2026                            ORDER DATED: 18/06/2026




considering the celebrated principle of bail jurisprudence is that
“bail is a rule and jail is exception” as well as the concept of
personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution
of India, present application deserves consideration.

[8.0] In the facts and circumstances of the case and considering
the nature of the allegations made against the applicant in the
FIR, without discussing the evidence in detail, prima facie, this
Court is of the opinion that this is a fit case to exercise the
discretion and enlarge the applicant on regular bail. Hence, the
present application is allowed. The applicant is ordered to be
released on regular bail in connection with FIR being C.R. No.
11211015250837 of 2025 registered with Dhrangadhra City
Polic Station, Surendranagar, on executing a personal bond of
Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty-five Thousand only) with one surety
of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court and
subject to the conditions that he/she shall;

  (a)    not take undue advantage of liberty or misuse liberty;
  (b)    not act in a manner injurious to the interest of the
         prosecution & shall not obstruct or hamper the police
         investigation and shall not to play mischief with the
         evidence collected or yet to be collected by the police;
  (c)    surrender passport, if any, to the Trial Court within a
         week;
  (d)    not leave the State of Gujarat without prior permission
         of the Trial Court concerned;
  (e)    mark presence before the concerned Police Station once
         in every month for a period of six months between 11.00



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          R/CR.MA/7370/2026                                                ORDER DATED: 18/06/2026




                a.m. and 2.00 p.m.;
         (f)    furnish the Aadhaar card, email ID/present address
                of his residence to the Investigating Officer and also to
                the Court at the time of execution of the bond and shall
                not change the residence/contact number without
                prior permission of Trial Court;
         (g)    not to indulge in any illegal activity failing which learned
                trial Court shall issue warrant and cancel the bail of the
                applicant.
   [9.0] The authorities will release the applicant only if he is not
   required in connection with any other offence for the time being.
   If breach of any of the above conditions is committed, the
   Sessions Judge concerned will be free to issue warrant or take
   appropriate action in the matter.

   [10.0] Bail bond to be executed before the lower Court having
   jurisdiction to try the case. It will be open for the concerned
   Court to delete, modify and/or relax any of the above conditions,
   in accordance with law.

   [11.0] At the trial, the trial Court shall not be influenced by the
   observations of preliminary nature qua the evidence at this stage
   made by this Court while enlarging the applicant on bail.

   [12.0] Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent. Direct
   service is permitted.



                                                                      (HASMUKH D. SUTHAR,J)
   ALI


Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: ISTAYAK ALI(HC01093), PRIVATE SECRETARY, at High Court of Gujarat on 19/06/2026 10:30:10


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