Debasish Sethi Vs State of Odisha — Bail and Remand | Orissa HC (2026)

Debasish Sethi Vs State of Odisha — Bail and Remand | Orissa HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Bail application allowed: petitioner released on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.25,000/- with one solvent surety for the like amount, subject to conditions (no contact with or approach to the victim, no visiting her house/village/residence till disposal of the case, no tampering with witnesses, fortnightly police-station reporting for three months); I.I.C. not to detain beyond stipulated time; liberty reserved to informant/State to seek cancellation before the trial Court.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner should be granted bail under S.483 BNSS in connection with Cyber Crime & Economic Offences Puri P.S. Case No. 23 of 2025 / GR Case No. 1286 of 2025 pending before the SDJM, Puri, for offences punishable under Ss. 294/336(2)/336(3)/336(4)/340(2)/356(2) of BNS read with Sec. 67/67(A) of IT Act, on the main allegation of blackmailing the victim.

Ratio / Principle

The Court admits the petitioner to bail without expressing any view on merits, taking into consideration the nature and gravity of the offences as alleged vis-à-vis the accusations brought against him, his pre-trial detention in custody with submission of charge sheet, other circumstances on record including the statement of the victim, and the inherent right of the accused to be presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial.

Key takeaways

Bail is granted upon the petitioner furnishing bail bonds of Rs.25,000/- with one solvent surety for the like amount, to the satisfaction of the learned Court in seisin of the case.ratio¶13
Release is conditioned on: (i) no contact with the victim in any way or manner and no visit to her house, village or residence till disposal of the case; (ii) no following of or loitering in and around the victim at any place; and (iii) no threatening, inducing, influencing or coercing of any witnesses including the family members of the victim acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade them from disclosing such facts before the Court.ratio¶14

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail — S.483 BNSS — High Court of Orissa at Cuttack (G. Satapathy, J.), oral order dated 23.04.2026 — Debasish Sethi admitted to bail in Cyber Crime & Economic Offences Puri P.S. Case No. 23 of 2025 corresponding to GR Case No. 1286 of 2025 pending before SDJM, Puri, for offences under Ss. 294/336(2)/336(3)/336(4)/340(2)/356(2) BNS read with Sec. 67/67(A) IT Act (main allegation: blackmailing the victim to keep physical relationship by getting her obscene photographs viral) — bail allowed expressly without expressing any view on merits, considering nature and gravity of offences, accusations, pre-trial detention with charge sheet submitted, statement of the victim and presumption of innocence of the accused — bail on bonds of Rs. 25,000/- with one solvent surety of like amount — stringent victim-protection conditions: no contact with victim in any manner, no visit to her house/village/residence till disposal of case, no following or loitering around victim, no threatening/inducing/influencing/coercing witnesses including victim's family — fortnightly attendance before jurisdictional police station (preferably second Sunday, 10 A.M.-12 Noon) for three months from release — I.I.C. not to detain beyond stipulated time after recording attendance — liberty reserved to informant and State to move for cancellation of bail on violation, trial Court empowered to decide without further reference to this Court.