Mumbai Court Takes a Stand Against Cybercrime
A sessions court in Mumbai has delivered a significant ruling, rejecting the bail applications of two brothers allegedly involved in the massive ₹58 crore digital arrest scam. The court underscored the growing menace of cyber fraud and the accountability of those who enable it.
The Core of the Case: Unexplained Bank Account Access
Special Judge A K Gujarati, in an order passed on Friday, denied bail to Arjun Kadvasara and Jetharam Kadvasara. The central reason for the rejection was the accused's failure to provide any explanation for why they permitted scammers to operate the bank account of their company, which was later found to be forged.
The court noted that a sum of ₹34.95 lakh from the total fraud amount was directly transferred into their company's account. In a strongly worded observation, Judge Gujarati stated, "Cyber crimes are raising day by day. Innocent people are losing their hard-earned money... After permitting to use his or her account for criminal activities, he or she cannot escape from the criminal liability."
How the Elaborate 'Digital Arrest' Scam Unfolded
The case came to light after the Maharashtra cyber police arrested 21 individuals last month. The accused allegedly posed as officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). They targeted a trader, convincing him that his name had appeared in an investigation linked to the defunct Jet Airways.
The scammers then informed the victim that he was under a "digital arrest" and proceeded to defraud him of a colossal amount of money. This case is part of a disturbing new trend where criminals use intimidation and false authority to commit financial crimes remotely.
Defense Arguments and Police Evidence
In their bail pleas, the Kadvasara brothers claimed they were falsely implicated and had no knowledge of the fraudulent transactions flowing through their account. They also argued that the investigation was complete and that their further custody was unnecessary.
However, the police strongly opposed their release. The prosecution presented documentary proof of the money trail leading to the brothers' accounts. Crucially, they also claimed to possess CCTV footage showing Jetharam Kadvasara filling out a form to facilitate a transfer of the illicit funds.
The court found this evidence compelling, noting that the accused had registered a forged company specifically to open the bank account used for the fraudulent conversations and transactions, indicating they played an "active role in the crime." This marks the second bail rejection for the duo, following an earlier denial by a magistrate court.
