Srinagar, May 21: The Court of Principal Sessions judge Ganderbal on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of four persons, including a woman, accused of defrauding people through the medium of playing online game and extracting crores of rupees from them.
The accused Rumaisa Jan, her father, Ghulam Nabi Shah and brother Shahnawaz Ahmad Shah, residents of Kangan Ganderbal and Aamir Bashir Magray of Bonizal Haripora Kangan Ganderbal had filed the bail plea, contending that they have not done any offence and their reputation will be maligned as they all belong to the same family.
The prosecution however said that poor and innocent individuals were dishonestly induced to invest their money with false promises of high returns, including claims of doubling their investments. The accused, by running an organized online scheme, collected approximately 53.22 croes in their bank accounts and subsequently withdrew the entire amount.
The prosecution said on April 15 this year a complaint was lodged with PS Kangan that one Shanawaz Ahmed Shah, S/o Gh. Nabi Shah, R/o Kangan, working in J&K Bank, (accused No.3), approached the complainant to invest in a scheme by promising high returns through online trading @ RSN.
On this assurance, the complainant handed over his documents and other account credentials to Shahnawaz. Subsequently, Shanawaz used the complainant’s account for suspicious financial transactions. Further, he induced the complainant to transfer an amount of ₹ 5 lakhs into his father’s account (GH.Nabi Shah) accused applicant No.2 with the assurance of immediate returns.
The complainant transferred the said amount but did not receive any returns. Later, he discovered that his account had been flagged and locked due to suspicious activities. It also came to light that Shanawaz’s sister, Rumaisa Begum, and his brother-in-law, Dr. Amir accused No 4, were also involved in dishonestly deceiving several locals by luring them with promises of guaranteed financial returns, thereby causing them monetary loss.
Consequent upon case FIR No. 28/2025 was registered at Police Station Kangan under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The report further reveals during the course of investigation, the bank statements of five accounts belonging to accused No. 3, Shahnawaz Ahmed Shah were obtained from J&K Bank, HDFC Bank, and SBL.
The statements reveal that Four Crore Fifteen Lakh Twenty Nine Thousand and Four Hundred Twelve rupees was credited to these accounts, and the entire amount was subsequently withdrawn by the accused.
Further, the bank statements of accused No 1. (Rumaisa) were obtained from the concerned banks which show a total credit of Twenty Two Crore Thirty One Lakh Thirty Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy rupees. The entire amount was also withdrawn from these accounts.
The bank statements of four accounts held by accused applicant No. 4 (Amir Bashir) were obtained from the concerned banks which show the total credit of Two Crore Sixty Four Lakh Thrity Three Lakh Eight Hundred and Forty Two rupees were withdrawn.
Similarly, the Bank statements of the accused No.2 (Ghulam Nabi Shah) were obtained from concerned banks and 11 accounts are held by the accused with the total amount of Twenty Four crore Ten Lakh Sixty Nine Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Five rupees.
The accused persons have carried out a well planed criminal conspiracy by inducing/lured poor young people into this online cyber fraud, said the prosecution.
Adjudicating the bail application, Principal Sessions Judge Ganderbal, Abdul Nasir observed “there is extensive and meticulous efforts by the investigating agency to unearth the nexus between the accused persons and other with respect to financial misconduct.
“There is chance of emerging evidence to see whether the accused are involved in the commission of Money Laundering offences or not, and if it is so established against the accused, it may have a very serious and severe effect on the society and national interest as well”, read his order.
It said “the accused have indulged in monetary transactions amounting to Rs 53,21,72,049 and the investigating agency has resorted to inclusion of offences u/s 4 P.M.L.A”.
While rejecting their bail plea, the court said that the evidence on record including the financial transactions requires a very deep scrutiny regarding the financial transactions of the accused and the status of their business.
“So the release of accused at this stage may result in affecting the quality of ongoing investigation and the haze in granting bail to the accused may result in consequences which may pose a grave risk to the society at large and may prejudice the ongoing investigation,” held the court.
