Thane: The Thane Sessions Court has rejected the bail plea of 63-year-old Kishor Bansilal Jain, chairman of a cooperative credit society, arrested along with two others for allegedly duping a consultant anaesthetist of over Rs 3 crore through a sophisticated “digital arrest” fraud.
Court Observes Serious Nature Of Offence
Judge R.S. Bhakare, while denying bail, observed that the offence was of a serious nature, involving international money transfers, cryptocurrency transactions, and links to foreign nationals. The court noted that releasing the accused at this stage would hamper the investigation and increase the risk of tampering with evidence.
Court Highlights Threat Of Digital Arrest Racket
“The offence is of a serious nature. Under the threat of digital arrest, money from the bank accounts of several people is being siphoned to international criminals. The investigation is technical, involving examination of bank accounts and mobile devices. Prima facie, the accusations appear well-founded. If released on bail, the accused may destroy evidence or influence witnesses,” the court stated in its order.
Doctor Duped Through Fake CBI Threat
According to the prosecution, the complainant, a consultant anaesthetist, received a call on August 13, 2024, purportedly from Courier, claiming that a parcel sent by her had been seized by Mumbai Customs. She was told the parcel contained drugs, a fake passport, and credit cards, and was then connected via WhatsApp video call to individuals allegedly posing as cybercrime officials and later as a CBI officer.
Victim Forced To Transfer ₹3.04 Crore
The accused allegedly threatened her with arrest in fabricated cases of money laundering, human trafficking, and drug smuggling. Under pressure, the complainant was coerced into transferring Rs 3.04 crore through five RTGS transactions between August 19 and September 5, 2024.
Fraud Proceeds Routed Through Cryptocurrency
Investigations revealed that the money was routed through multiple accounts. Of this, Rs 82.46 lakh was allegedly handed in cash by Jain to co-accused Mahesh Kothari, who purchased USDT cryptocurrency from a Dubai contact and transferred it to another accused, Dhawal. The cryptocurrency was subsequently transferred to a Pakistani national.
Accused Linked To Larger Conspiracy
The court noted that Jain, as chairman of Satkar Co-op Credit Society, allegedly facilitated cash exchanges on commission, linking him to the larger conspiracy.
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Court Order Emphasises Ongoing Probe
The court’s order copy read, “The offence is of a serious nature. In various countries, under the threat of digital arrest, money from the bank accounts of several people has been transferred to international criminals. The investigation is in progress and is technical in nature. It requires examination of bank accounts and mobile devices, which takes time. The possibility of involvement of other accused persons cannot be ruled out. From the documents on record, it is seen that, prima facie, the accusations levelled against the accused appear to be well-founded.”
