Manish Pandey Vs State of U.P. — Cheating and Forgery | Allahabad HC (2026)

Manish Pandey Vs State of U.P. — Cheating and Forgery | Allahabad HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Anticipatory bail to the applicant till submission of charge sheet under Section 193 BNSS; in the event of arrest, release on personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount, subject to conditions (availability for interrogation, no inducement/threat/promise, no leaving India without permission, no tampering with evidence, no criminal activity, and recording/uploading of Aadhaar, WhatsApp, e-mail ID and mobile number on CCTNS per Rule 8 of the U.P. Electronic Processes Rules, 2026); breach of conditions to be ground for cancellation.

Issue for consideration

Whether the applicant Manish Pandey is entitled to anticipatory bail in Case Crime No. 23 of 2026 under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of B.N.S. and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology (I.T.) Act, Police Station Cyber Crime, District Prayagraj.

Court's answer

Without expressing any opinion on the merits, and considering the nature of accusations, gravity of offence and antecedents of the applicants, the Court held the applicant entitled to anticipatory bail till submission of charge sheet under Section 193 BNSS, following the Constitution Bench judgment in Sushila Aggarwal vs. State (NCT of Delhi).

Ratio / Principle

In the event of arrest, the applicant Manish Pandey is to be released on anticipatory bail on furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the investigating officer concerned, subject to the enumerated conditions.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Anticipatory bail under Section 482 BNSS - applicant sought pre-arrest bail in Case Crime No. 23 of 2026, P.S. Cyber Crime, District Prayagraj, under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) BNS and Section 66(D) IT Act, founded on nine transactions dated 06.05.2024 in the account of PRIMOZ Health Care, a proprietorship concern of the applicant; contention that the applicant informed ICICI Bank of the dubious transactions on 07.05.2024, the FIR was lodged after almost two years, and the applicant has been cooperating with the investigation; State opposed. Held, without expressing any opinion on merits and considering the nature of accusations, gravity of offence and antecedents, the applicant was entitled to anticipatory bail till submission of charge sheet under Section 193 BNSS, as per the Constitution Bench judgment in Sushila Aggarwal vs. State (NCT of Delhi), 2020 SCC Online SC 98. In the event of arrest, release ordered on personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount, with conditions including availability for interrogation, no inducement to witnesses, no departure from India without permission, no tampering with evidence, no further criminal activity, and recording of Aadhaar/WhatsApp/e-mail/mobile numbers on CCTNS per Rule 8 of the Uttar Pradesh Electronic Processes (Issuance, Service and Execution) Rules, 2026. Application disposed of. (Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal, J.; April 20, 2026)

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD

CRIMINAL MISC. ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION U/S 482 BNSS No. - 3493 of 2026

Manish Pandey

.....Applicant(s)

Versus

State of U.P.

	...	..Opposite Party(s)
Counsel for Applicant(s)	: Dhananjai Rai,	Vibhu Rai
Counsel for Opposite Party(s)	: G.A.

Court No. - 67

HON'BLE ARUN KUMAR SINGH DESHWAL, J.

Heard Sri Dhananjai Rai, learned counsel for the applicant, Sri Roshan Kumar Singh, learned AGA for the State and perused the record.

The present application has been filed by the applicant seeking bail in anticipation of his arrest in Case Crime No. 23 of 2026, under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of B.N.S. and Section 66(D) of Information Technology (I.T.) Act, Police Station- Cyber Crime, District- Prayagraj.

Contention of learned counsel for the applicant is that the FIR in question has been lodged merely on the basis of nine transactions on 06.05.2024 in the account of PRIMOZ Health Care, which is a proprietorship concern of the applicant, and there is no transaction either prior or subsequent to the said date; it is further submitted that, upon coming to know of the aforesaid dubious transactions, the applicant immediately informed ICICI Bank, where his account is maintained, on 07.05.2024; however, the FIR in question has been lodged after almost two years of the said transactions; it is also submitted that the applicant has been cooperating during the investigation.

Learned A.G.A. has opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail.

Thus, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case and considering the nature of accusations, gravity of offence and antecedents of applicants, this Court is of the view that the applicant is entitled to get anticipatory bail till submission of charge sheet under Section 193 BNSS as per the Constitution Bench judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Sushila Aggarwal vs. State (NCT of Delhi)- 2020 SCC Online SC 98 .

NABAIL No. 3493 of 2026

2

In the event of arrest, the applicant Manish Pandey involved in the aforesaid crime be released on anticipatory bail on furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the investigating officer concerned with the following conditions:-

(i) The applicant shall make himself available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required;

(ii) The applicant shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer;

(iii) The applicant shall not leave India without the previous permission of the Court;

(iv) The applicant shall not tamper with the prosecution evidence by intimidating/ pressurizing the witnesses, during the investigation.

(v) The applicant shall not indulge in any criminal activity or commission of any crime after being released on bail.

(vi) At the time of releasing the applicant on anticipatory bail, after verification, the concerned Investigating Officer shall also record the Aadhaar number, WhatsApp number, e-mail ID, and mobile number of the applicant, and the same shall be uploaded on CCTNS, as per Rule 8 of the Uttar Pradesh Electronic Processes (Issuance, Service and Execution) Rules, 2026.

In case of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a ground for cancellation of anticipatory bail.

With the aforesaid observations/directions, application stands disposed of .

(Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal,J.)

April 20, 2026 SA

Digitally signed by :- SALMAN ALI High Court of Judicature at Allahabad