SC gives Anupam Mittal two-week protection from arrest in fraud case
Case linked to Rs 11 lakh scam via fake Shaadi.com profile
High Court asked to reconsider quashing plea on merits
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal and two others protection from arrest for two weeks in a case related to alleged fraud by a user of the matrimonial platform.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N V Anjaria set aside a Telangana High Court order refusing to quash the proceedings against Mittal and sent the matter back to the high court for fresh consideration. Additionally, the Supreme Court requested that Mittal request interim bail from the High Court.
The complaint is based on a Hyderabad woman's claim that a man using a fake profile on Shaadi.com duped her of Rs 11 lakh and that the website neglected to adequately verify user information.
"Since the quashing petition has not been decided on merits, we set aside the impugned order and remit the matter to the high court for consideration on merits. Accordingly, the criminal cases are restored to their original file. The same shall be dealt with by the high court on its merits. This court has not expressed any opinion on the merits," the Supreme Court said.
"In the meantime, the petitioner shall make a prayer for interim relief before the high court. For a period of eight weeks from today, no coercive steps to be taken against the petitioner," it added.
Senior advocate Atmaram Nadkarni, appearing for Mittal, submitted that he was running a matrimonial site, which is basically just a matchmaker.
"I am just facilitating matching. We are cooperating with the investigation. But why am I an accused?" Nadkarni asked.
The Telangana government received notice from the top court on June 26, and all proceedings were put on hold.
Last year, the Telangana High Court refused to revoke the FIR filed against Mittal and the two other people listed as defendants in the case, Vignesh and Satish.
