Court dismisses bail plea of accused in Mumbai hacker Manish Bhangale kidnapping case

A local court has dismissed the bail application of Ravi Sharma, a Punjab resident arrested on charges of kidnapping Mumbai-based hacker Manish Bhangale in Chandigarh.

The police registered an FIR under Sections 308(2), 3(5), 140(3) and 61(2) of the BNS at the Sector 36 police station based on a complaint by constable Surender Kumar. On September 24, 2024, Kumar was patrolling near Fragrance Garden in Sector 36 when he noticed a silver-coloured Swift Dzire car with a Delhi number plate. Three persons were sitting in the car, with two people in the back seat. One person was banging his hands on the glass.

When Kumar and another policeman approached the car, the driver tried to escape. They followed the car and stopped it near Sector 43 ISBT. The person banging his hands on the glass identified himself as Manish Bhangale. The accused, Ranjit and Ravi Sharma, were arrested from the car.

Bhangale claimed he was forcibly detained by the accused, who tortured him and asked him to transfer money from different bank accounts by hacking. He said he had gone to Amritsar for a deal and was moved to various locations in Punjab before being brought to Chandigarh.

The accused’s counsel argued that Sharma was falsely implicated and no longer required custodial interrogation. However, the Additional Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application, stating that Sharma faced serious charges.

After hearing the arguments, the court observed that the accused had pressured, harassed, and kidnapped Manish Bhangale, asking him to transfer money by hacking. Since the bail of the co-accused had already been dismissed, the court ruled that Sharma was not entitled to bail.