A Bengaluru Sessions Court has granted anticipatory bail to two individuals accused of participating in a high-profile job consultancy scam operating under the name Aloha Immigration. The order, delivered by Sri Narashimsa M.V., the LX Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, provides temporary relief to Smt. Priscilla Neha David Chelli and Sri Chetan Kumar R., who are implicated in a case involving the alleged duping of job seekers with false promises of overseas employment.

The petitioners were seeking protection from arrest in connection with Crime No. 192/2024, registered by the West CEN (Cyber, Economy, and Narcotics) Crime Police Station. The charges filed against them include Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code for cheating, alongside Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which pertain to identity theft and cheating by personation using computer resources.

The Allegations: Fake Interviews and Lakhs in Commission

The legal battle began following a complaint lodged by a resident named Rajesh G.C. at the CEN Police Station. According to the prosecution, the accused operated a fraudulent company named Aloha Immigration with branches in Singasandra and Vidyaranyapura. The firm allegedly targeted innocent students and professionals by promising lucrative job placements at top-tier companies like Infosys or positions in the United Kingdom.

The complainant alleged that in June 2023, Priscilla Neha David Chelli initiated contact via WhatsApp and video calls, assuring him of a job in the UK. She reportedly introduced Chetan Kumar and another individual named Soniya as directors of the company. To build trust, the group allegedly conducted a fake online interview for the complainant’s wife.

Following the “selection,” the accused purportedly demanded a commission. The complainant claimed to have transferred a total of Rs. 8,18,500 in various installments to several bank accounts and UPI IDs provided by the accused. However, once the money was transferred, the promised jobs never materialized, and the accused allegedly refused to refund the amount, leading to the police complaint.

Defense Arguments: Employees or Partners?

Represented by their legal counsel, the petitioners presented a starkly different narrative. They contended that they were not partners or directors of Aloha Immigration but were merely employees caught in the crossfire of the company’s disputes. Priscilla Neha David Chelli stated she was hired as a qualified English language trainer on a monthly salary of Rs. 38,000 and had no involvement in the financial transactions or management decisions of the firm.

To support this claim, the defense produced emails dated November 2023, where Priscilla had demanded her unpaid salary for several months from the company’s actual management. Furthermore, the defense pointed out that Priscilla had previously filed a Non-Cognizable Report (NCR) at the Kuvempunagar Police Station in Mysore against the complainant and his wife, suggesting a history of friction between the parties.

The petitioners argued that they have deep roots in society, no criminal antecedents, and were being harassed by the police due to “artificial litigation” created by the complainant. They expressed a fear of being publicly humiliated and paraded in handcuffs for a crime they claim they did not commit.

The Court’s Observations and Ruling

Judge Narashimsa M.V., after hearing both the Public Prosecutor and the defense, observed that the core of the case involves financial transfers that are already a matter of bank record. The court noted that the exact roles of petitioner No. 1 and 3 in the alleged fraud are matters that require detailed investigation and trial.

Crucially, the court found that the offenses alleged are not punishable by death or life imprisonment. The judge determined that the apprehension of the prosecution—that the accused might flee or tamper with evidence—could be mitigated by imposing strict conditions rather than through immediate custodial interrogation.

The court granted the anticipatory bail application, directing that in the event of their arrest, the petitioners be released subject to the following conditions:

1. Each petitioner must execute a personal bond of Rs. 50,000 with one surety.
2. They are strictly prohibited from tampering with prosecution witnesses or hampering the investigation.
3. They must not leave the jurisdiction of the trial court without obtaining prior permission.
4. The petitioners are mandated to appear before the Investigating Officer on or before April 30, 2024, to fully cooperate with the ongoing probe.

The ruling serves as a significant procedural step in the Aloha Immigration case, shifting the focus to the investigative phase where the police must now establish whether the petitioners were indeed active participants in the scam or, as they claim, subordinate employees unaware of the alleged fraudulent scheme.