The Gujarat High Court granted bail to cyber law expert Meet Raval in the Vadnagar cyber scam case, questioning the prosecution's inconsistent positions and selective approach (File photo).The Gujarat High Court last week granted bail to a cyber law expert accused of operating a fake call centre to defraud stock market investors, after noting that the state prosecution took “selective approaches” and contradictory positions across different courts.Meet Raval, who has been in judicial custody since June 2025, faces charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy in a case registered at the Vadnagar police station in the Mehsana district.The prosecution alleged that Raval used his legal expertise to assist his brother in running a fraudulent call centre. The operation allegedly lured victims through an application called ‘Market Plus’, using automated dialling systems to promise stock market tips, commission, and high returns. According to investigators, over Rs 5.49 crore was funnelled through accounts belonging to a firm named Hub Brokerage.The order by Justice Hasmukh D Suthar records that Raval has six past antecedents but “remains entitled to the presumption of innocence“, that the investigation is complete and the chargesheet filed, that nothing further needs to be recovered from him, and that the offences are triable by a magistrate, meaning the trial itself would take time to conclude.In total, the prosecution said, Rs 5,49,30,330 was deposited by one of the co-accused, Maulik, into accounts of Hub Brokerage held with Bandhan Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank, out of which Rs 14.57 crore was allegedly deposited in the first layer of transactions before being siphoned into different accounts.Also Read | Gujarat High Court gets bomb threat email; security teams search Ahmedabad courtsRaval’s advocate, A S Timbalia, argued that his client had been falsely implicated and that the investigation was already complete, with nothing left to recover or discover. He pointed out that three separate FIRs had been registered against Raval on similar allegations and that he had already been released on bail in the other cases.In the present case, the defence argued that co-accused Anil Thakor and Dashrath Thakor had received Rs 1.68 crore and Rs 1.46 crore, respectively, and were already out on bail granted by the Sessions Judge, and co-accused Lovesh, who received Rs 7 lakh, had also got bail.Story continues below this adThe defence also noted that the prosecution had earlier and incorrectly told the sessions court that Rs 1 crore had been transferred into Raval’s account. The actual amount, the defence said, was Rs 7 lakh, spread across his Axis Bank and Bandhan Bank accounts. The alleged purchase of gold with the proceeds, the defence added, was the subject of a separate FIR altogether.The Additional Public Prosecutor opposed bail, arguing that Raval used his expertise as a cyber law professional to help his brother run the call centre, lure victims, route the proceeds of fraud through multiple accounts, and convert the money into gold via UPI and bank transfers. The prosecution maintained that more than Rs 1 crore had passed through his account and that his role was more serious than that of the co-accused already released, warning that he could reoffend or tamper with evidence if freed.The High Court noted that different figures for the applicant’s alleged involvement appeared to have been presented to different courts at different times and that ” the state had not challenged the resulting bail orders before any appellate forum”.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More