Veronica Andrew Annika Lethabo Vs State of Gujarat (Gujarat High Court)
Gujarat High Court has denied regular bail to Veronica Andrew Annika Lethabo, an accused in a ₹14 lakh cybercrime case involving impersonation of Income Tax and Customs Department officials and the use of forged documents. The court cited the seriousness of the offence, the applicant’s prior withdrawal of a bail application, and concerns about her absconding given her possession of multiple foreign passports.
The application for regular bail was filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), in connection with an FIR registered with the Cyber Crime Police Station, Amreli. The charges include offences under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC), and Section 66(d) of the Information Technology Act.
Allegations Against the Accused
The prosecution contended that the accused, Veronica Andrew Annika Lethabo, repeatedly sent messages to the complainant using specific mobile numbers, gaining trust through false promises of valuable gifts. With intent to deceive, she allegedly prepared fake government securities as bail sureties from various government departments. She also created fraudulent accounts on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram under false identities.
