45 Naga youths who had been in custody in Punjab since 15 May 2024 were granted bail today by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The individuals were arrested under various charges, including Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, as well as Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, a DIPR report said.
The youths were employed at call centers and were accused of sending fraudulent messages to foreign nationals, extracting money through various schemes. They had been imprisoned for four months, during which both the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) and the District Judge rejected their bail pleas.
Due to their prolonged detention, earlier in June 2024, the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, intervened, taking into account the hardships faced by the Naga youth. The Chief Minister instructed the Advocate General of the state to take swift legal action to secure their release.
The case was presented before the High Court, presided over by Justice Rajesh Bharadwaj, and was heard over three separate sessions. During the proceedings, it was argued that none of the accused youth were beneficiaries of the alleged fraudulent schemes.
Instead, the actual beneficiaries were businessmen from Gujarat and Maharashtra, none of whom had been arrested. The prosecution, which claimed there were over 1 lakh victims, failed to produce any witnesses or conduct a thorough investigation, despite the availability of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and the United States.
Representing the Naga youth, the legal team led by Advocate General KN Balgopal, along with Advocates Paramjeet Singh Brar and Nitya Nambiar, successfully argued for their interim bail. The High Court acknowledged the lack of evidence against the accused and granted relief to all 45 individuals, including 10 women.
Throughout the case, the Chief Minister closely monitored developments to ensure the swift release of the Naga youth, highlighting the government’s commitment to justice for its citizens, the DIPR report added. In the meantime, the State Government is making all necessary arrangements for the safe and smooth return of the youth to Nagaland, through the Home Department and the Office of the Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, it added.
Taking to X, CM Rio wrote: The 45 Naga youths who were in custody in Punjab have been granted bail. The Govt is making arrangements & facilitating for their smooth return home. I congratulate the Advocate General Nagaland, Shri K N Balgopal and his team; and appreciate his efforts in ensuring their release.