SC overturns HC order, grants interim relief to Shaadi.com founder
Top court quashes Telangana HC order, grants interim protection, asks Shaadi.com founder to seek bail in fraud case
New Delhi saw an important legal move on Tuesday, February 3. The Supreme Court gave interim protection to Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal and two others. The court said they should not be arrested for now. The case is linked to an alleged fraud by a user of the matrimonial website.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N V Anjaria heard the matter. The judges set aside an earlier order passed by the Telangana High Court. That order had refused to stop criminal proceedings against Mittal. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the high court for a fresh look.
The top court said the high court must now examine the matter again. It said this time the case should be considered on its merits. The Supreme Court also made it clear that it had not given any opinion on who is right or wrong.
Along with this, the court gave Mittal temporary relief from arrest. It said no coercive steps should be taken against him for a fixed period. This protection will last for two weeks, as per the order passed on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court also asked Mittal to approach the Telangana High Court. He was told to seek interim bail there. The judges said this would be the proper legal route while the case is being reconsidered.
The case began after a complaint by a woman from Hyderabad. She alleged that she was cheated of Rs 11 lakh. According to her, a man contacted her through Shaadi.com using a fake profile. She claimed the platform failed to verify the user properly.
The woman said she trusted the profile because it appeared genuine. Over time, she sent money to the man. Later, she realised she had been cheated. She then filed a police complaint. An FIR was registered in the matter.
In the FIR, Anupam Mittal was named as an accused along with two others. They are Vignesh and Satish. The complaint accused the platform of negligence. It said the website did not carry out proper checks before allowing the fake profile.
It said the case should continue. This led Mittal to approach the Supreme Court for relief.
While passing its order, the Supreme Court explained its reasoning clearly.
It added that the criminal cases are restored to their original files. The high court will now deal with them again. The judges stressed that the Supreme Court has not shared any view on the merits of the case.
The court also gave clear directions for the time being. This means Mittal cannot be arrested during this period.
Senior advocate Atmaram Nadkarni appeared for Anupam Mittal. He told the court that Mittal only runs a matchmaking platform. He said Shaadi.com works like a facilitator, not a party to the fraud.
“I am just facilitating matching,” Nadkarni told the bench. He said the platform helps people connect. It does not control their actions. He added that Mittal and his team are cooperating with the investigation.
Nadkarni questioned why Mittal was made an accused at all. “Why am I an accused?” he asked during the hearing. He said holding the founder responsible for a user’s fraud sets a dangerous example.
The Supreme Court seemed to take note of these arguments. It did not dismiss the case but said it needs a proper review. That is why it sent the matter back to the high court.
This is not the first time the Supreme Court stepped in. Earlier, on June 26, the top court had issued notice to the Telangana government. At that time, it also stayed all proceedings in the case.
The Telangana government has now been asked to respond again. The high court will hear both sides before taking a fresh decision.
The case has sparked debate around online platforms and their responsibility. Many people use matrimonial websites to find partners. But cases of fake profiles and cheating have also increased.
Some legal experts say platforms must do better checks. Others argue that companies cannot be blamed for every user’s wrongdoing. They say responsibility should lie with the person who commits the fraud.
For now, Anupam Mittal has received temporary relief. He will have time to seek bail and present his case before the high court. The final outcome will depend on how the high court views the facts.
As the case continues, it may shape how online platforms are treated under the law. Many are watching closely. The decision could affect not just Shaadi.com, but many other digital platforms in India.