Shahnaz Parveen v. State Represented By The Inspector Of Police,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 01.04.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN Shahnaz Parveen ... Petitioner Vs.

State Represented by The Inspector of Police (Crime), Udhagamandalam Cyber Crime Police Station, The Nilgiris.

Crime No.12 of 2024 ... Respondent PRAYER: Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, praying to enlarge the petitioner's anticipatory bail in the event of her arrest in Crime No.12 of 2024 pending investigation on the file of the respondent police. For Petitioner : Mr.Shaikh M Muzzammil For Respondent : Mr.P.Dhileepan, Government Advocate (Crl.Side)

O R D E R

The petitioner, who apprehends arrest at the hands of the respondent police for the offences punishable under Sections 318(4) of Bharatiya Nyaya 1/4

Sanhita r/w 66D of Information Technology Act, in Crime No.12 of 2024, on the file of the respondent Police, seeks anticipatory bail.

2. The case of the prosecution is that the de facto complainant, on seeing a WhatsApp group titled "Share India Securities Group", which was projected as a SEBI-registered company, joined the group and, based on the representations made, invested money in stock trading. Initially, he received certain profits and thereafter, on further inducement, transferred a total sum of Rs.50,80,000/- to various accounts. Subsequently, when he was asked to pay additional commission to withdraw the profit, he realised that it was a fraudulent scheme and lodged a complaint alleging a total loss of Rs.45,00,000/-. Hence, the present FIR came to be registered.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is arrayed as A3 and is charged under Section 420 IPC. According to the prosecution, there are three accused and all of them are alleged to have cheated a sum of Rs.45 lakhs. He would further submit that A1 and A2 have already been released on bail by the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Udhagamandalam, in Crl.M.P.No.49 of 2025 dated 27.02.2025 after 62 days. The petitioner has been implicated only on the ground that she is the wife of 2/4

A2 and that, taking advantage of the said relationship, the prosecution has falsely implicated her, alleging that the account stands in her name. Hence, he prayed for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner.

4. The learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) appearing for the respondent police would submit that, as per the NCRP records, there are about 30 complaints against this petitioner alleging that, under the pretext of stock trading, various persons have been cheated. He would further submit that a sum of Rs.36 lakhs was transferred to the account of this petitioner and the said amount is yet to be recovered.

5. Taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances, no recovery has been effected from the petitioner, and the contention of the learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) is that custodial interrogation is essential to trace the layering of the money.

6. Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition stands dismissed. 01.04.2026 cda 3/4

C.KUMARAPPAN, J.

cda To 1.The Inspector of Police (Crime), Udhagamandalam Cyber Crime Police Station, The Nilgiris.

2.The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras.

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