CUTTACK, India, March 26 -- Orissa High Court issued the following order on Feb. 23:

1. This is a bail application U/S.483 of BNSS by the petitioner for grant of bail in connection with CID, CB Cyber Crime PS Case No.10 of 2024 corresponding to CT Case No.391 of 2024 pending in the file of learned SDJM, Bhubaneswar for commission of offences punishable U/Ss. 419/420/465/467/468/471/120-B/34 of IPC r/w Sec.66(C)/66(D) of IT Act.

2. The allegation against the petitioner emanates from the fact that the informant having prior acquaintance with one ex-bureaucrat of Odisha received an E-mail stated to be from him for supply of Iranian Saffron to the World Bank headquarter on the expectation of good profit margin and he accordingly, supplied 110Kgs of Iranian Saffron as per the purchase order stated to be issued by World Bank at the cost of Rs.2.7Crores deposited in different Indian Bank accounts as per the invoice enclosed and accordingly, in the process, it is stated that World Bank signed a contract with him for supply of 6600Kgs of Iranian Saffron at the rate of 550Kg per month, but the organization claimed to be World Bank asked him to open an off-shore Bank account with Vault Off-Shore Bank which was accordingly opened by depositing a sum of $53,000USD, but his arrear bill amounting to $1.2milliion USD as agreed upon could be deposited to his account, however, the informant received a letter from Vault OffShore Bank asking him to deposit a sum of $77,550USD towards insurance coverage and this is how the informant came to know about cyber fraud upon him. Accordingly, he lodged an FIR resulting in registration of Cyber Crime Police Station case no.10 of 2024 necessitating the investigation in this case and in the course of investigation, finding the involvement of the present petitioner who is a Nigerian National, he was arrested ultimately landing him before this Court in this bail application.

3. Ms. Sushma Sharma, learned counsel for the petitioner appearing virtually submits that although the petitioner is a foreigner, but he would abide by any terms and conditions for his release on bail and accordingly, he draws the attention of the Court to the judgment of the Apex Court in Frank Vitus Vrs. Narcotics Control Bureau and others; 2025 INSC 30.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindiaHC/cases/display_pdf.php?filename=A9S7c5LDIsB6RXaCf816xxpLGNYShl55iBmEfTYJA%2Bs5MZTv9W%2F9wQst9QEj1AHn&caseno=BLAPL/1770/2025&cCode=1&cino=ODHC010102242025&state_code=11&appFlag=)

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