Delhi HC Flags Rise in Tech-Driven Frauds, Denies Pre Arrest Bail to Man Accused of Rs 1.75 Crore Scam

The Delhi High Court has recently flagged the rise in tech crimes where complex technological mechanisms were employed to defraud gullible victims, adding that such crimes are harder to crack due to the boon of technology and its misuse by crooks to evade law enforcement.

Justice Amit Mahajan made the observations while rejecting the anticipatory bail plea of one Mohit, who was accused of being involved in a digital fraud case that allegedly duped a man of Rs 1.75 crore through impersonation and forged Court documents.

“These crimes are on the rise and tend to be significantly harder to crack due to the boon of technology that is effectively misused by crooks to wreak havoc and evade law enforcement. The task of the investigating agency seems arduous,” the Court remarked.

The case stems from an FIR registered at the Special Cell on May 13, 2024, under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 170, 120B, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, along with Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

According to the complaint filed by Rajan George, unidentified persons posing as Mumbai Police officers extorted Rs 1.75 crore from him by showing fake Court orders and impersonating enforcement authorities.

On May 6, 2024, the complainant allegedly received a call from someone claiming to be a police officer from Tilak Nagar Police Station in Mumbai. He was told that a SIM card had been issued using his Aadhaar details and misused to send obscene messages. The caller further accused him of having links with Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, who is under investigation for money laundering, and threatened severe legal action.

The fraudsters even conducted video calls dressed in police uniforms, showing what appeared to be a police station set-up, and sent forged documents purportedly issued by the Supreme Court and the CBI. They allegedly pressured the victim to share his personal and banking details and transfer all his funds to accounts controlled by the accused.

Highlighting the sophistication of such digital scams, the Court said, “These cases, by their very nature, involve intricate methods and multiple communication devices and are used to mislead unsuspecting victims.”

Court refused to curtail the scope of investigation by granting pre-arrest bail, observing that law enforcement must be given “fair play in the joints” to probe such crimes effectively.

Considering the allegations, the Court said it cannot be held at this stage that the investigation is being carried out with the intention to injure or humiliate the applicant. Prima facie, the facts do not indicate false implication of the applicant.

The application was accordingly dismissed. However, the Court clarified that any observations made in the present order are only for the purpose of deciding the bail application and should not influence the outcome of the trial or be taken as an expression of opinion on the merits of the case.

Case Title: Mohit vs State of NCT of Delhi

Bench: Justice Amit Mahajan

Date of Order: September 25, 2025