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. The apex court also asked Mittal to approach the high court for interim bail.
The case stems from a Hyderabad woman's allegation that she was defrauded of Rs 11 lakh by a man who used a fake profile on shaadi.com and that the platform failed to properly verify user details.
"Since the quashing petition has not been decided on merits, we set aside the impugned order and remit the matter to the high court to 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 merits," the Supreme Court said.
"In the meanwhile, 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.
On June 26, the top court had issued notice to the Telangana government and stayed all proceedings.
The Telangana High Court last year declined to quash the FIR registered against Mittal and two others, Vignesh and Satish, named as accused in the case.
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. The apex court also asked Mittal to approach the high court for interim bail.
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The case stems from a Hyderabad woman's allegation that she was defrauded of Rs 11 lakh by a man who used a fake profile on shaadi.com and that the platform failed to properly verify user details.
"Since the quashing petition has not been decided on merits, we set aside the impugned order and remit the matter to the high court to 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 merits," the Supreme Court said.
"In the meanwhile, 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.
On June 26, the top court had issued notice to the Telangana government and stayed all proceedings.
The Telangana High Court last year declined to quash the FIR registered against Mittal and two others, Vignesh and Satish, named as accused in the case.
