Bombay High Court
RAJESHWARI JAYESH JOSHIversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA
- Decided
- Disposal
- Dismissed
Holding
Anticipatory bail was not granted; the application was dismissed.
Summary
The applicant, Rajeshwari Jayesh Joshi, filed an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, seeking pre‑arrest bail for alleged offences under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Sections 318(4), 319 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The applicant claimed a compromise, stating that the entire amount of Rs. 11,71,440 transferred to his relatives had been repaid to the first informant and that he was not involved in the crime. The State contended that the offence involved cyber‑fraud using the informant’s OTPs to obtain a loan and transfer funds to the applicant’s relatives, warranting custodial interrogation. The applicant relied on a letter dated 1 July 2026 and an affidavit of repayment, but the court found the letter to be forged and the evidence unreliable. Considering the seriousness of the cyber‑crime and the lack of a genuine compromise, the court held that anticipatory bail is an extraordinary remedy and should not be granted. Consequently, the anticipatory bail application was dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail should be granted in view of the alleged forgery and seriousness of the cyber‑fraud offences.
- Whether the letter and affidavit presented by the applicant constitute valid evidence of a compromise and repayment.
- Whether Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 can be invoked to quash the FIR in these circumstances.
Legislation cited
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita — s. 482
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — s. 318(4), 319, 351(2)
- Information Technology Act — s. 66D
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- cyber crime
- OTP fraud
- forgery
- financial fraud
- Section 66D
- Section 482
- compromise
Judgment
925ABA-2640-2026.DOC
Aftab S./skt
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION NO. 2640 OF 2026
Rajeshwari Jayesh Joshi …Applicant
Vs.
State of Maharashtra …Respondent
Mr. Vivek Rane a/w. Jitendra Jha i/b Afsar Ansari, for the
Applicant.
Ms. Savita M. Yadav, APP for the Respondent-State.
API Madhumati Shinde, Pimpri Police Station.
CORAM: MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.
DATE : 23rd SEPTEMBER, 2026
P. C.:
1. Heard Mr. Rane, learned counsel appearing for the
Applicant and Ms. Yadav, learned APP for the Respondent-State.
2. The applicant by this application filed under section 482 of
the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 is seeking pre-
arrest bail in connection with C.R. No. 489 of 2026 registered with
Pimpri Police Station, Dist. Pimpri-Chinchwad for the offences
punishable under Section 66 D of the Information and Technology,
2000 and Sections 318(4), 319 and 351(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya
Sanhita, 2023 (“BNS”).
3. It is the submission of Mr. Rane, learned counsel appearing
for the Applicant that there is a compromise arrived at between the
Page 1 of 11
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Aftab S./skt
Applicant and the First Informant and entire amount which is
mentioned in the F.I.R. has been paid to the First Informant. He
further submits that Applicant is not involved in the crime. There
are no antecedents. Therefore, anticipatory bail be granted.
4. On the other hand, Ms. Yadav, learned APP submits the
offence is a cyber crime where amount of Rs. 11,71,440/- has been
transferred from the account of the First Informant to three
different accounts belonging to the relatives of the Applicant. The
same has been done by using the OTP (One Time Password) which
was received by the First Informant. She submits that the offence is
very serious, and therefore, custodial interrogation is necessary.
5. The statement of the First Informant on the basis of which
the First Information Report is registered reads as under :-
"जून 2026 मध्ये म म झे ऑफि सला असता न मला म बा ईला
क्रम क 9503947996 ये नबार वरून क%ला आला सदरचा क%ला एक
मफि*लाचा असन ता न मला विवचा रला क, ता-म्* ला ला न चा आवश्येकता
आ* म ता-म्* ला ऑनला ईन कजू0 क ढून दता . त्ये वळेस मला पै6शा चा
गरजू असल्ये न म ता ला ता त्क ळे * क र फिदला . त्ये वळेस मला तितान
तिताचा न व र धा अस स ग ताला व ता-म्*< कजू स
0 ठी> मला ता-मचा
क गदपैत्रे द्या अस स गन मला म झे म बा ईलामध्ये एक अॅBपै
Page 2 of 11
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Aftab S./skt
डा उनला डा करण्ये स स ग ताला. व त्ये नतार म सदरचा अॅBपै
डा उनला डा कला . त्ये नतार म बा ईलावर येणा र ओटी<पै ता न मला
म ग ताला. सदरचा ओटी<पै म ता ला फिदला.
फिदन क 29/06/2026 र जू म झ्ये एसबा आये बा कच्ये अक उटीवर
NEFT* IDFB0040101*FINANCIA0099509044300 AT 17125 PBB
PIMPLE NILAKH PUNE ये न व न म झ्ये खा त्ये वर 11,71,440/-
रुपैये इताक, रक्कम जूम झे लाला फिदसला त्ये चावळेस र धा पै-णा0 न व
पैत्ता न *< ये मफि*लास म सपैक0 करून स ग ताला क, मला इताक्ये
कजू चा
0 आवश्येकता न *<. ता- मला न विवचा रता एवढू कजू0 क क ढूला
त्ये वळेस ता न मला धामक, दवन स ग ताला क, आता बाघ म क ये
करता त्ये नतार अचा नकचा मला चा र मसजूस आला व म ता ला
फिदलाल्ये चा र चाकच्ये द्वा र 04 ला खा पैरम जूयेशा जू शा पै-न्* 04
ला खा जूयेशा म रश्वर जू शा न मक व्येक्ती,च्ये खा त्ये ता, तासचा 50
*जू र चा ट्रां झेक्शान व 3,21,411/- रुपैये चा ट्रां झेकशान जूयेशा ट्रां न्स र
ये न व म झ्ये एसबा आये बाचाता खा ता क्रम क 33605513637 ये
खा त्ये तान वर<ला न व च्ये व्येक्ती,च्ये खा त्ये ता पै6स ट्रां न्स र झे ल्ये चा
04 मसजूस मला आला. ये बा बाता म र धा ये व्येक्ती,ला विवचा रणा
कला असता ता न मला धामक, दवन म क णा ला घ बारता न *< ता-झे
पै6स*< पैरता करणा र न *< म आत्ता पैये\ता फिकत्येक ला क न ला-टीला आ*
ता- म झे क *<एक व कडा करू शाकता न *< अस बा लान ता न त्ये नतार
म झे न उचालान बाद कला. ताव्* मला खा त्रे झे ला क, र धा ये
Page 3 of 11
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Aftab S./skt
मफि*लान म झ्ये स ध्ये स्वभा व चा ग6र येद घवन मला एक
ऑनला ईन अॅBपै डा उनला डा करण्ये स स गन व त्ये चा ओटी<पै
म झ्ये कडान घवन त्ये द्वा र म झ्ये न व कजू0 क ढून व कजू स
0 ठी>
क गदपैत्रे च्ये न व खा ला म झ्ये कडान चा र स*< कलाला चाक घवन
त्ये द्वा र म झ्ये अक उटीमधान एक-णा 11,71,440/- रुपैये एवढू< रक्कम
रुपैये क ढून म झे आति_0क सवणाक कलाला आ*.
तार< 01 जून 2026 ता फिदन क 24/07/2026 पैये\ता म क म करता
असलाला नBशानला इन्शा-रन्स कपैन चा टी%वर विबाल्डिंल्डाग तिचाचावडा पै-णा ये
फिठीक णा र धा न व चा मफि*ला तिताचा म बा ईला क्रम क 9503947996
व तिताच्ये स बाता एक इसम ये न नBशानला इन्शा-रन्स कपैन जू टी%वर
विबाल्डा<ग, क ळेभा रनगर, तिचाचावडा, पै-णा ये_ समक्ष येवन मला
ऑनला ईन अॅBपै द्वा र कजू0 क ढूण्ये स भा ग पै डान सवणाक
करण्ये च्ये *तान ला नस ठी> ला गणा -ये क गदपैत्रे स बाता म झे स*<
कलाला म झ्ये एसबा आये बाbकचा चा र चाक घताला. व त्ये नतार म झ्ये
स ध्ये स्वभा व चा ग6र येद घवन मला एक ऑनला ईन अॅBपै
डा उनला डा करण्ये स स गन व त्ये चा ओटी<पै म झ्ये कडान घवन
त्ये द्वा र म झ्ये नव कजू0 क ढून व कजू स
0 ठी> क गदपैत्रे च्ये
न व खा ला म झ्ये कडान चा र स*< कलाला चाक घवन त्ये द्वा र म झ्ये
अक उटीमधान एकणा 11,71,440/- रुपैये एवढू< रक्कम रुपैये क ढून
म झे आति_0क सवणाक कलाला आ* म्*णान म झे र धा ये
मफि*लाविवरुद्ध क येदशा र ताक्र र आ*.”
Page 4 of 11
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Aftab S./skt
The translation of the above statement is as under :-
“In June 2026, while I was at my office, I received a call
from mobile number 9503947996. The said call was from
a woman, who asked me whether I required a loan and
stated that she could arrange an online loan for me. At
that time, as I was in need of money, I immediately agreed
to her proposal. At that time, she told me that her name
was Radha and asked me to provide my documents for
obtaining the loan. She also instructed me to download an
application on my mobile phone. Accordingly, I
downloaded the said application. Thereafter, she asked me
for the OTPs received on my mobile phone, and I provided
the said OTPs to her.
On 29/06/2026, I noticed that an amount of Rs.
11,71,440/- had been credited to my SBI bank account
through NEFT, bearing the details
“IDFB0040101*FINANCIA0099509044300 AT 17125 PBB
PIMPLE NILAKH PUNE”. At the same time, I contacted
the said woman, Radha, whose full name and address are
not known to me, and told her that I did not require such
a large amount as a loan. I also asked her why she had
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Aftab S./skt
obtained such a large loan without consulting me. At that
time, she threatened me and said, “Now watch what I do.”
Thereafter, I suddenly received four messages informing
me that, through the four cheques which I had given to
her, an amount of Rs. 4,00,000/- had been transferred to
an account in the name of Jayesh Joshi, another amount
of Rs. 4,00,000/- had been transferred to an account in
the name of Jayesh Moreshwar Joshi, and transactions of
Rs. 50,000/- and Rs. 3,21,411/-, respectively, had been
made in the name of Jayesh Transfer, from my SBI
Savings Account No. 33605513637 to the accounts of the
aforesaid persons. I received four messages regarding the
said transactions. When I questioned the said person,
Radha, about the same, she threatened me and stated, “I
am not afraid of anyone. I will not return your money
either. I have cheated many people till now. You cannot do
anything against me.” Thereafter, she stopped answering
my phone calls. At that time, I became certain that the
said woman, Radha, had taken advantage of my simple
and trusting nature by asking me to download an online
application and obtaining the OTPs from me. By using the
Page 6 of 11
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Aftab S./skt
said OTPs, she obtained a loan in my name and, under the
pretext of requiring documents for the loan, obtained four
cheques bearing my signatures from me. Through the said
cheques, she withdrew a total amount of Rs. 11,71,440/-
from my account and thereby caused me financial loss and
cheated me.
Therefore, from 01/06/2026 to 24/07/2026, at the
National Insurance Company Tower Building, Kalbhor
Nagar, Chinchwad, Pune, where I was working, the
woman named Radha, using mobile number 9503947996,
along with one male person, personally came to the
National Insurance Company Tower Building, Kalbhor
Nagar, Chinchwad, Pune, and induced me to obtain a loan
through an online application with the intention of
cheating me. In connection with the said loan, they took
from me the documents required for obtaining the loan
along with four cheques of my SBI Bank account bearing
my signatures.
Thereafter, taking advantage of my simple and trusting
nature, they instructed me to download an online
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Aftab S./skt
application and obtained the OTPs received on my mobile
phone from me. By using the said OTPs, they obtained a
loan in my name and, under the pretext of obtaining
documents for the loan, took four cheques bearing my
signatures from me. Through the said cheques, they
withdrew a total amount of Rs. 11,71,440/- from my
account and thereby committed financial fraud against
me.
Therefore, I have a legal complaint against the said
woman Radha.
6. Thus, the offence is very serious inter alia concerning the
cyber crime. By using the account of the First Informant and asking
him to download an App and by using the OTPs received by him
the loan of Rs. 11,71,440/- was disbursed to him and immediately
said amount of Rs.11,71,440/- was transferred in the account of
relatives of the Applicant.
7. It is further significant to note the contention of learned
counsel appearing for the Applicant that the said amount has been
transferred to the accounts of the relatives of the Applicant on the
basis of letter dated 1st July 2026 of the First Informant and the
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Aftab S./skt
same has been done as per the written instructions of the First
Informant. To substantiate said contention, reliance is placed on
letter dated 1st July 2026 issued by the First Informant (Page 38 of
the Anticipatory Bail Application). A scanned copy of the said
letter is reproduced hereinbelow :
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Aftab S./skt
8. As noted earlier, learned counsel of the Applicant has stated
that the entire amount has been repaid to the First Informant and
the First Informant has given an affidavit placing on record the
same. The last page of the said affidavit dated 17 th September
2026 containing verification clause is scanned and reproduced
hereinbelow :-
Page 10 of 11
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Aftab S./skt
9. Comparison of alleged signature of the First Informant on
letter dated 1st July 2026 (Page 38 of the Anticipatory Bail
Application) and above signature of the First Informant executed
before notary prima facie shows that the letter which has been
annexed at Page No. 38 of this Anticipatory Bail Application
purportedly signed by the First Informant is forged and fabricated
letter.
10. The anticipatory bail is very extraordinary remedy and is not
to be granted in a routine manner. Forged and fabricated letter of
purportedly issued by the First Informant is relied on and annexed
to the Anticipatory Bail Application.
11. Thus, in the facts and circumstances, no case is made for
grant of anticipatory bail. Accordingly, Anticipatory Bail
Application is dismissed.
12. The observations in this order are made for considering this
Anticipatory Bail Application. The learned Trial Court shall not be
influenced by any of the observations made hereinabove and shall
decide the case on its own merits.
[MADHAV J. JAMDAR, J.]
Page 11 of 11
23rd September, 2026
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