Judge K. Sujana has refused to grant early bail to the person asking for it, Rajiv Menon, who is involved in a large cyber fraud case. The case is about the misuse of SIM cards for illegal activities, and the court found the accusations serious enough to deny bail.
Rajiv Menon asked for early bail under a specific section of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The case is linked to a police report from Jannaram Police Station, involving charges under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act, and Telecommunications Act.
The case against him is based on a complaint from Vodafone Idea Ltd., which led to the discovery of a setup called a SIM Box used for cyber crime and pretending to be someone else. This setup was found near Raghavendra Theatre, Jannaram.
Rajiv Menon’s lawyer, Sri K. Rajashekar, argued that Rajiv has been living in Thailand and only came to India for a short time for a festival. The lawyer said that Rajiv was blamed based on a single WhatsApp call from another accused person, Sunil Patel, and that there is no direct proof linking him to the crime.
The defense pointed out that similar police reports were filed in other places, suggesting a pattern of repeated accusations without solid evidence.
The government lawyer, Sri D. Arun Kumar, opposed the bail, saying that Rajiv Menon is involved in other crimes and part of a plan to cheat people using the SIM Box. The prosecutor stressed that the investigation is still ongoing, with many witnesses yet to be questioned.
He argued that giving bail might interfere with the investigation, as Rajiv could possibly hide the stolen money and avoid helping with the case. The case involves a big fraud with 740 SIM cards used in the crime.
Judge K. Sujana looked at the seriousness of the accusations and the ongoing investigation. Even though Rajiv Menon claimed to live in Thailand, the court found enough links between his visits and the crime. The court decided that Rajiv’s presence in India was not necessary for committing the cyber crime.
Because of the serious nature of the accusations and the possible effect on the investigation, the court refused the bail request and dismissed the petition.
The case shows the complexities of cyber crimes and the difficulties in granting bail when there is significant fraud and international elements involved.
"Disclaimer: The names used in this report are fictitious and have been added for privacy reasons."
