‘Cyber crime is like silent virus’: Allahabad High Court denies bail in Rs 16 crore cyber fraud case

The Allahabad High Court denied bail to a man accused of a Rs 16 crore cyber fraud in India, labeling cybercrime as a "silent virus" affecting people regardless of their background. The court stated that rapid digital expansion has exposed vulnerabilities exploited by cybercriminals, impacting society not just financially but also in terms of trust, security, and progress.

The accused, Muhammad Shahvez, sought bail for the second time after his initial plea was rejected. He faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, including cheating, forgery, and cyber-related offenses. Prosecutors argued that Shahvez provided mule accounts to co-accused and acted in collusion to siphon off the funds.

However, the court noted that parity with co-accused was not sufficient grounds for bail and considered factors such as the nature of the allegations, the severity of punishment, and the accused's potential to interfere with prosecution evidence. The high court concluded that no new grounds existed to grant bail, deeming the alleged fraud against a public sector bank "heinous in nature."