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High Court of Gujarat

ABHAY @ NATIRAJA CHANDAN SINGH BUNDELAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
28-REJECTED @ ADM.STAGE

Holding

The Court denied temporary bail to the applicant.

Summary

The applicant, a 20‑year‑old second‑year B.A. student, was arrested in October 2025 for alleged cyber offences under Sections 108, 351(2) and 54 of the BNSS, 2023, read with Section 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, involving threats, extortion and impersonation that led to the deceased's suicide. He sought temporary bail for 35 days to appear for examinations scheduled from 27 April to 26 May 2026, offering a security deposit of Rs. 5,00,000. The State opposed, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime, the applicant’s non‑residence in Gujarat and the risk of absconding. The High Court examined the material, noting the applicant’s alleged use of a forged police letter and a WhatsApp account to intimidate the victim, and found no compelling reason to grant bail merely on academic grounds. The Court also doubted the applicant’s ability to meet attendance requirements for the exams. Consequently, the application for temporary bail was rejected.

Issues considered

  • Whether temporary bail should be granted to the accused in view of the seriousness of the cyber‑crime allegations and the risk of absconding
  • Whether the applicant’s academic commitments constitute a sufficient ground for bail

Legislation cited

Subjects

temporary bailcybercrimeimpersonationextortionsuicideSection 66(d) IT Actbail jurisprudencerisk of abscondingacademic considerations

Judgment

      R/CR.MA/9015/2026                                        ORDER DATED: 20/04/2026




               IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR TEMPORARY BAIL) NO. 9015 of
                            2026

==========================================================
                ABHAY @ NATIRAJA CHANDAN SINGH BUNDELA
                                 Versus
                           STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MS. SHYAMA P. PANSURIYA(16362) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR. KRUTIK A PARIKH, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P. M. RAVAL

                                     Date : 20/04/2026

                                      ORAL ORDER


1.      The applicant has preferred the present application
seeking temporary bail for a period of 35 days in connection
with      the     FIR       registered     with        Chorwad      Police     Station,
Junagadh, for the offences punishable under Sections 108,
351(2), and 54 of the BNSS, 2023, read with Section 66(d) of
the       IT     Act,        dated      19.10.2025,        bearing           FIR         No.
11203012250459/2025. The applicant had earlier preferred
an application for temporary bail before the learned Sessions
Judge, Keshod, being CRMA No. 99/2026, which came to be
rejected vide order dated 10.02.2026 passed by the learned
2nd Additional Sessions Judge, Keshod.


2.      Learned advocate Ms. Sanial Bhavsar for the applicant
submitted that the applicant is a second-year student
pursuing a B.A. degree at Government College, Guna, Madhya
Pradesh. It is submitted that the admission fees as well as
examination               fees   have     already       been      paid,      and         the


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     R/CR.MA/9015/2026                       ORDER DATED: 20/04/2026




examinations are scheduled to commence from 27.04.2026
and conclude on 26.05.2026. It is further contended that the
applicant has not been released on bail since his arrest on
24.10.2025, and in the event temporary bail is not granted,
his academic career would be adversely affected. It is also
submitted that the applicant is aged 20 years, is not likely to
abscond, and is ready to deposit a sum of Rs. 5,00,000/- as
security, which may be forfeited in case of breach of any
condition. Thus, it is prayed that the applicant be granted
temporary bail for 35 days.



3.     Per contra, learned APP Mr. Krutik A. Parikh opposed the
application, submitting that the applicant is involved in a
serious cybercrime, wherein threats were administered to the
deceased, and amounts of Rs. 15,000/- and Rs. 9,500/- were
allegedly extorted. It is further submitted that the applicant is
not a resident of Gujarat, and therefore, the possibility of
absconding cannot be ruled out. It is further contended that
the deceased lost his life due to the threats administered by
the present applicant, who allegedly impersonated himself as
an officer from the Cyber Crime Cell of the Government of
Madhya Pradesh. Hence, it is urged that the present
application be rejected.



4.     Heard learned advocate for the applicant and learned
APP for the State. Upon perusal of the material on record,
though it appears that the applicant is a second-year B.A.
student, the fact remains that a person has lost his life



                              Page 2 of 3
       R/CR.MA/9015/2026                                                      ORDER DATED: 20/04/2026




 allegedly at the behest of the present applicant, who
 impersonated himself as a police officer from the Cyber Crime
 Cell of the Government of Madhya Pradesh. It further
 transpires that the applicant used a WhatsApp account in the
 name of Sunil Dhatt Dubey, misused the police logo, and
 forged a letter purportedly issued by the Cyber Crime Cell,
 Bhopal, alleging serious offences against the deceased.
 Pursuant to such threats, the deceased is alleged to have
 committed suicide.



 5.       In such circumstances, this Court does not find any
 cogent reason to enlarge the applicant on temporary bail
 merely on the ground that he intends to appear in his B.A.
 examinations. Moreover, as per the jail record, the applicant
 was apprehended on 21.10.2025 and has been in custody
 since 24.10.2025. This Court also harbors serious doubt as to
 whether the applicant fulfills the attendance requirements
 necessary to appear in the said examinations. Even otherwise,
 no case is made out for grant of temporary bail.



 5.1      Hence, the present application stands rejected.




                                                                                       (P. M. RAVAL, J)
 MOHD SAIF ULLAH




Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: MOHD SAIF ULLAH(HC02372), ENGLISH STENO GRADE-II\, at High Court of Gujarat on 20/04/2026 17:49:25




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