In Priyanka Ch. Sangma v. State of Haryana, Supreme Court refused to grant anticipatory bail to a woman accused of running a cyber-sextortion racket and extorting nearly ₹6 crore from the complainant through fake online identities, emotional manipulation, and threats of circulating sexually explicit photographs and videos.

According to the prosecution, complainant came into contact with Priyanka through Facebook in 2020, where she posed as an Emirates Airlines air hostess residing in Dubai. After developing a close relationship, she and her associates induced complainant to transfer huge sums of money through deception and later extorted money by threatening to publish his sexually explicit photographs and videos.

The prosecution alleged offences involving cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal intimidation, conspiracy, cyber fraud, and sextortion. Approximately ₹6 crore was extorted, of which more than ₹4.08 crore was credited directly to Priyanka's bank account.

The petitioner sought anticipatory bail before Punjab and Haryana High Court, contending that she had been falsely implicated. She also sought consideration on the ground that she is a woman and mother of two children.

High Court observed that allegations were not of an ordinary financial dispute but disclosed a carefully planned cyber-sextortion operation involving impersonation, emotional manipulation, and sustained financial exploitation.

“Economic offences involving large-scale financial loss stand on a distinct footing, as they affect not only the individual victim but also undermine public confidence in financial and digital transactions.”, Court observed

Court also rejected the reliance placed on Arnesh Kumar and Satender Kumar Antil, clarifying that those judgments do not create an absolute prohibition against arrest in offences punishable up to 7 years. Court further held that merely because the petitioner was a woman, she could not automatically claim anticipatory bail.

Therefore, considering the gravity of allegations and organised nature of cyber-sextortion scheme, Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed anticipatory bail petition.

Subsequently, Supreme Court upheld High Court's order and dismissed Special Leave Petition.