A sessions court in Mumbai on Friday granted bail to Abdul Khullay, a resident of Malad who works as an air conditioning dealer, in connection with a digital arrest scam that involved the siphoning of over Rs 58 crore from a retired pharmaceutical executive. Khullay had spent seven months in judicial custody. The court noted that Khullay had proactively cooperated with authorities by requesting his bank to freeze a suspicious account even before the formal registration of the crime.
Court's Observations on Parity and Cooperation
The judge observed that several co-accused individuals with similar roles had already been released on bail, making Khullay eligible for relief on grounds of parity. The judge stated, "It is noteworthy to mention here that it is the applicant who himself had requested his banker to freeze the account of M/s Aircool Enterprises on Sept 29, 2025, on the ground of cyber crime activities in the said account." This proactive step by Khullay was seen as a significant factor in his favor.
Background of the Case
The prosecution's case originated from a complaint filed by the victim, who was targeted in an elaborate cyber fraud between August and September 2025. The victim was placed under "digital arrest" by fraudsters posing as officials from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Under the threat of arrest for alleged money laundering, the victim was coerced into transferring Rs 58.13 crore to various bank accounts. Khullay was arrested in October 2025 after investigators allegedly traced Rs 25 lakh of the tainted money to a bank account held in the name of Aircool Enterprises, a firm owned by Khullay's wife but allegedly managed by him.
Defense Arguments
During the proceedings, advocate Gaurav Bhawnani argued that Khullay was a victim of circumstance who had been asked by acquaintances to provide a bank account for business transactions in exchange for a commission. The defense submitted that Khullay had not received any personal monetary benefit from the scam and had reached out to his bank and the RAK Marg Police Station as soon as he suspected cybercrime activity.
Prosecution's Opposition
The prosecution opposed the bail application, submitting that Khullay was a key facilitator who had traveled to Rajasthan to hand over ATM cards and chequebooks to other conspirators. However, the judge noted that the investigation was complete and the chargesheet had already been filed. The judge further held that continued incarceration was unnecessary as the evidence was largely documentary and electronic. "Looking to the nature of the crime, the allegations levelled against the applicant and the scope of investigation, the trial is not going to finish in near future and therefore, no purpose will be served by keeping the applicant in jail," the judge remarked.
Conditions of Bail
The judge imposed strict conditions on Khullay's bail, including a travel ban without prior permission and directions to attend all trial dates. The judge warned that "in the event any of the condition herein being violated, the prosecution would be at liberty to seek for cancellation of bail."
