The court on hearing the matter and after going by the evidence found that neither the three accused ever contacted complainant and did not make any fraud call to her.
In a first by a trial court in Chandigarh, three persons from Rajasthan were convicted in a digital arrest scam — not for making fraudulent calls, but for receiving the cheated money in their bank accounts.
The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMIC) Court of Sher Singh held Mahendra Nai, Poonam Chand and Sandeep Kumar guilty under Section 317(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), marking the first conviction of its kind as such cyberfraud cases surged across the country in the last one year.
The convicts were sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment of one year and two months, however, since the accused have already undergone the period of sentence, the court said that convicts be released from custody.
The FIR in the matter was registered on the complaint of Pratipal Kaur with the submissions that on July 1, 2024, she received a telephonic call on her mobile and the caller stated that he is from Crime Branch Mumbai and a mobile number was issued against the Aadhaar Card of the complainant which was being used by founder of Jet Airways Naresh Goel. The caller said that there were 24 complaints of money laundering from the number. The matter is in Supreme Court and she will be arrested soon for the crime, according to the complainant.
The fraudster said that an enquiry against her was being initiated and was asked to deposit Rs 80 lakh in a secret account of surveillance and if found innocent, then the amount would be refunded to her. During this time, two women and one lady talked to her and they directed her to upload the Skype app.
They sent her the copy of the order regarding the action being taken against Goyal for illegal cases. The cybercriminals told her that they were watching her through Skype and giving directions to keep herself alone in a separate room without sharing any information to anybody. On July 2, 2024, they gave her directions to go to the bank and transfer the money to a bank account. The complainant after getting encashed all her fixed deposits from different accounts, deposited Rs 80,31,764.32 in the account shared by the fraudsters. After sending the amount through RTGS, she realised that it was a scam.
During the probe, the cybercrime unit of Chandigarh Police found that the call to the complainant was made through a fraudulent/virtual number and lodged an FIR. The three accused were then arrested during a police raid. The police found that the trio received the money in their bank accounts on assurance by the other accused that 10 per cent amount would be given to them as commission.
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During the trial, the defence counsel argued that the accused have been falsely implicated in the case.
The court on hearing the matter and after going by the evidence found that neither the three accused ever contacted complainant and did not make any fraud call to her. “(The) complainant contended clearly that two men and one woman were watching through Skype video call and she did not identify the accused Sandeep, Mahendra and Poonam as those persons,” the court observed.
From the evidence of investigating officer, the court found that Mahendra and Sandeep Kumar received the cheating amount in their account but since no ingredients of forgery, fraud and cheating have been proved against them. It also ruled out criminal conspiracy by Mahendra, Poonam and Sandeep.
Acquitting from the charges of cheating by personation, criminal conspiracy and forgery of BNS, but finding that they received the cheating amount in their respective accounts and misappropriated the same despite having the knowledge that this amount received by them from the fraudsters account, they were held guilty under Section 317(2) (dishonestly receiving or retaining stolen property) of BNS.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).
Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.
Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.
Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:
1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
"12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.
"‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.
"Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.
2. Investigative & Scams
"CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.
"Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.
3. Environment & Public Safety
"Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.
"Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.
4. Gangster Culture & Crime
"City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.
"Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.
Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
