Dismissed¶¶31

Sanket Roy v. State of NCT of Delhi

Delhi HC19 Jan 2026BAIL APPLN./3733/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Delhi High Court (Girish Kathpalia, J.), decision dated 19.01.2026 — BAIL APPLN. 3733/2025 & 3804/2025, Sanket Roy v. State of NCT of Delhi: anticipatory bail dismissed under Ss. 318(4)/319(2)/61(2) BNS in FIR Nos. 3/2025 & 04/2025, PS Cyber, Shahdara, arising from Telegram share-market/online investment fraud (approx. Rs. 6.95 crores credited to applicant's account in about 05 months; almost 37 similar complaints, approx. Rs. 7 crores; applicant third layer in money-laundering per status report dated 16.12.2025; custodial interrogation held necessary).

What did the court decide?

The Court did not find unjustified the prosecution's submission that custodial interrogation of the accused/applicant would be necessary. ¶¶30

Sanket Roy Vs State of NCT of Delhi — Cheating and Forgery | Delhi HC (2026)

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$~2 & 3

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* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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% Date of Decision: 19.01.2026 + BAIL APPLN. 3733/2025, CRL.M.A. 29185/2025, 29186/2025 29187/2025 , 32033/2025 & 29184/2025

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SANKET ROY .....Petitioner Through: Counsel for petitioner (appearance not given) versus STATE OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Amit Ahlawat, APP for State with SI Vivek Yadav, PS Cyber, Shahdara. + BAIL APPLN. 3804/2025, CRL.M.A. 29665/2025, 29666/2025 & 29664/2025 SANKET ROY .....Petitioner Through: Counsel for petitioner (appearance not given) versus STATE OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Mr. Amit Ahlawat, APP for State with SI Vivek Yadav, PS Cyber, Shahdara.

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CORAM: JUSTICE GIRISH KATHPALIA

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J U D G M E N T (ORAL)

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The accused/applicant seeks anticipatory bail in cases FIR Nos.3/2025 and 04/2025 of PS Cyber, Shahdara for offence under Section 318(4)/319(2)/61(2) of BNS.

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BAIL APPLICATIONs 3733/2025 & 3804/2025

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Page 1 of 4 pages GIRISH Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec45569af3962c6fb4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570996b40f80cbd KATHPALIA 2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.01.19 18:13:10 -08'00'

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Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:NEETU N NAIR Signing Da te:1 9.01.2026 18:15:43

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These anticipatory bail applications were pending before the predecessor bench since September 2025 and have come up before me for the first time. In furtherance of previous record, I have finally heard learned counsel for accused/applicant and learned APP for State assisted by IO/SI Vivek Yadav.

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Briefly stated, the identical allegations against the accused/applicant in these two cases are as follows. The complainant de facto was added in a share market group managed by the Telegram App and was induced to invest in various IPOs and shares for earning high returns. The complainant de facto accordingly invested more than Rs.24,00,000/- in each of these cases and the websites in question displayed the invested amount along with profit to be approximately Rs.52,00,000/- in each of these cases. But when the complainant de facto attempted to withdraw money, he discovered that he had been defrauded by unknown persons under the garb of online investment. In the course of investigation, following the trail of money, the investigating authorities reached the present accused/applicant as one of the participants of the crime involving about 6-7 accused persons. It was also found that there are almost 37 complaints of similar fraud across the country involving transactions to the tune of approximately Rs.7 crores.

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Learned counsel for accused/applicant seeks anticipatory bail on the ground that he has already deposited the amount of Rs.4,40,000/-, which is alleged to be the amount that came to his pocket. It is further contended that even the said amount was earned by the accused/applicant through online

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BAIL APPLICATIONs 3733/2025 & 3804/2025

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Page 2 of 4 pages

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Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec45569af3962c6fb4 835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570996b40f80cbd 2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.01.19 18:13:28 -08'00'

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GIRISH KATHPALIA

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Signature Not Verified

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Digitally Signed By:NEETU N NAIR Signing Da te:1 9.01.2026 18:15:43

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gaming. Learned counsel for accused/applicant also submits that the accused/applicant has been regularly joining investigation as and when directed by the IO.

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On the other hand, prosecution strongly opposes the anticipatory bail applications contending that the accused/applicant has not been surrendering his mobile phone before the IO and it is from that piece of evidence that further investigation requires to be carried out. It is also submitted on behalf of prosecution that according to their investigation within a short span of about 05 months, amount of approximately Rs.6.95 crores was credited into the bank account of the accused/applicant, which is tainted money. It is also contended that the investigation is ongoing and grant of anticipatory bail in such a case would not be appropriate.

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In the present case, credit entries to the total tune of Rs.6.95 crores approximately spanning across 05 months in the bank account of accused/applicant, who is working only as a Manager in his father’s lab does raise certain questions. In this regard, learned counsel for accused/applicant contended that a sum of Rs.1.39crores from various NBFCs was taken by him as loan. As regards the remaining amount, it is contended that Rs.20,00,000/- is the credit entry towards maturity of Fixed Deposit and Rs.1crore approximately was received by him from his family members as loan. In addition to that, it is also contended that the accused/applicant had agricultural income, but for that, no record has been shown to me today nor submitted with the IO.

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BAIL APPLICATIONs 3733/2025 & 3804/2025

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Page 3 of 4 pages

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Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec45569af3962c6fb 4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570996b40f80cb d2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.01.19 18:13:42 -08'00'

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GIRISH KATHPALIA

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Signature Not Verified

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Digitally Signed By:NEETU N NAIR Signing Da te:1 9.01.2026 18:15:43

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In the status report dated 16.12.2025, the IO has enlisted various bank accounts through which the money was circulated to different tagged accounts. According to the investigation carried so far, the accused/applicant is the third layer in the process of money laundering.

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In these circumstances, I do not find unjustified the submission of the prosecution that custodial interrogation of the accused/applicant would be necessary.

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Therefore, the anticipatory bail applications are dismissed. Pending applications also stand disposed of.

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GIRISH KATHPALIA

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Digitally signed by GIRISH KATHPALIA DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF DELHI, 2.5.4.20=8401dd889b27a77b2f65ffffe4afec455 69af3962c6fb4835d435f97626cacca, ou=HIGH COURT OF DELHI,CID - 7047638, postalCode=110003, st=Delhi, serialNumber=d3e86796451ec45c07b5d15570 996b40f80cbd2eee60402c487965ff801e26fa, cn=GIRISH KATHPALIA Date: 2026.01.19 18:13:55 -08'00'

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GIRISH KATHPALIA (JUDGE)

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JANUARY 19, 2026/ ry

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BAIL APPLICATIONs 3733/2025 & 3804/2025

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Page 4 of 4 pages

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Signature Not Verified

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Digitally Signed By:NEETU N NAIR Signing Da te:1 9.01.2026 18:15:43