1 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 879 of 2025 1 - Raj Tayal S/o. Shri Shrawan Kumar Agrawal Aged About 28 Years R/o. Sakti, Police Station - Sakti, District - Sakti (C.G.) ... Applicant(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through - The District Magistrate, Sakti, District - Sakti (C.G.) (Concerned Police Station - Sakti) ... Respondent(s) (Cause title taken from Case Information System) For Applicant(s) : Mr. Hari Agrawal, Advocate For Respondent(s)/State : Mr. Anmol Sharma, Panel Lawyer Hon'ble Shri Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal Order on Board 07/07/2025 1. The present is an application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicant, who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No. 93 of 2025, registered at Police Station Sakti, District Sakti (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 7 of the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2022. 2. The case of the prosecution is that, on 27.03.2024, during the patrolling, the police of police station Sakti received a secret VEDPRAKASH DEWANGAN Digitally signed by VEDPRAKASH DEWANGAN Date: 2025.07.15 11:16:18 +0530 2 information that, the co-accused Karan Bhindwani is engaged in playing online gambling through BigWicket Gambling App from his mobile phone near Bandhwa Talab. The police conducted raid and caught red-handed the co-accused Karan Bhindwani, who was found engaged in playing online gambling through his mobile phone and he disclosed that, he is chatting with WhatsApp No. 7509127375. He also disclosed that the link for BigWicket Gambling App is provided by the present applicant Raj Tayal. The mobile phone has been seized from the co-accused Karan Bhindwani and from its data, it was found the playing online gambling through BigWicket Gambling App in IPL Cricket matches. The offence has been registered, in which the applicant is apprehending his arrest. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant would submit that, except the memorandum statement of the co-accused Karan Bhindwani, no evidence or incriminating material is found against the applicant, which shows his involvement in the offence in question. There is no record, which shows that the said mobile phone is used by the present applicant. Even otherwise the electronic evidence is not sufficient to inculpate the applicant in the offence of online gambling, particularly, when the said electronic evidence extracted from the mobile phone of the co-accused. The investigation has been completed. There is no criminal antecedent against the present applicant. There is no complaint by any person with respect to the alleged offence and therefore the applicant may be enlarged on anticipatory bail. 3 4. On the other hand, learned counsel appearing for the State opposes the submissions made by learned counsel for the applicant and submitted that, in the memorandum statement of co-accused Karan Bhindwani, the involvement of the present applicant is disclosed. From the mobile phone of Karan Bhindwani, the relevant data and screen shots were extracted, which demonstrate the mobile number of the present applicant and there is prima facie evidence in the case diary against the applicant regarding his involvement in the offence in question. Online gambling is an organized crime having various facets and impact upon the economy of the country. In view of the gravity of the offence and the manner, in which the applicant involved in the alleged offence, he is not entitled for anticipatory bail. 5. I have heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the submissions made by the parties, considering the material collected during the investigation and the allegation against the present applicant regarding his involvement in the offence in question, gravity of the offence and its impact of organized crime, further considering the mobile call details available in the case diary, I am not inclined to grant benefit of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 7. Accordingly, the present anticipatory bail application filed by applicant Raj Tayal is rejected. Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) Judge ved