1 2025:CGHC:38489 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1174 of 2025 • Rajesh Sonwani S/o Khamhan Sonwani Aged About 36 Years R/o Bandhapara, Outpost Junapara, P.S. Takhatpur, District Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus • State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer, Police Station Takhatpur, District Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. ... Respondent (Cause title is taken from Case Information System) For Applicant : Mr. Shantam Awasthi, Advocate For Respondent/State : Mr. Soumya Rai, Panel Lawyer Hon’ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 04/08/2025 1. The applicant has preferred this application under Section 482 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for grant of Anticipatory Bail, apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.334/2025, registered at Police Station – Out post Junapara, P.S. Takhatpur District – Bilaspur (C.G.) for the alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 420 and 34 of IPC. VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Digitally signed by VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Date: 2025.08.13 11:02:41 +0530 2 2. As per prosecution story in brief is that the complainant Sunil kumar Tiwari (development extention officer Janpad Panchayat officer Takhatpur) has lodged report before the police station takhatpur and stated that the Rajesh sonwani, Dileep Kumar Patre wal Ritesh shriwas have alleniated the fund which has been issued to the beneficiaries but aforesaid accused have given 6,70,000 rupees the entire amount to the non- beneficiaries persons by the defrauding the beneficiaries, and during the investigation the police has found that the applicant with co-accused have misappropriated 1,20,000 from Rajesh sonwani, 1,20,000 rupees from saraswati barman, keher shrivas 95,000 rupees, 96,000 rupees from the account of ragini sonwani, 1,20,000 rupees from sarojni banjare and 1,20,000 from gangotri patre and total 6,70,000 rupees from the govt. fund misappropriated and the applicants along with co-accused have taken the Aadhar no, and account no. they have misappropriated the fund to the non-beneficiaries instead of beneficiaries therefore they have committed the said offence and the copy of the f.L.R No 334/2025 has been filed herewith as ANNEXURE A/2. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant has been falsely implicated in this case. He submits that applicant neither involved in the commission of crime nor tried to commit any offence, the alleged offence pertains to the period from 29.07.2022 to 13.09.2023, while the FIR has been lodged belatedly on 01.07.2025. Applicant No. 1 assumed charge after 3 the grant under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana had already been issued and had no role in the approval of beneficiaries. A show cause notice dated 02.06.2025 was duly replied to by Applicant No. 1, clarifying that the selection of beneficiaries occurred prior to his appointment (Annexure A/3). The beneficiary list was finalized during the Gram Sabha meeting on 13.09.2023 by the then Panchayat Secretary and Sarpanch, listing 178 individuals, but it is alleged that the CEO of Janpad Panchayat and Awas Mitra later altered the list and disbursed funds to ineligible persons (Annexure A/4). The applicants have not received any financial benefit, and notably, the actual recipients of the funds have not been named as accused. Therefore, he prays for grant of anticipatory bail to the present applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the anticipatory bail application of the present applicant, is allegedly involved in a fraud and co-accused persons namely Dileep Kumar Patra and Ritesh Shriwas anticipatory bail application has already been rejected by this Court in MCRCA No.1122 of 2025 vide order dated 29.07.2025, therefore, he is not entitled for grant of anticipatory bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the nature and gravity of the offence, and also taking into account the fact that the applicants/accused in 4 collusion with other co-accused persons, have fraudulently shown individuals namely Rakesh Kumar S/o Kanhaiya, Saraswati Maravi, Ramphal Porte, Laini Bai, Soni Devi Agarwal, and Gangotri Yadav as beneficiaries, and have obtained their bank accounts and Aadhaar numbers to commit financial irregularities involving misappropriation of government funds to the tune of Rs. 6,70,000/-, I am of the considered opinion that the allegations are of a serious nature and co-accused persons namely Dileep Kumar Patra and Ritesh Shriwas anticipatory bail application has already been rejected by this Court in MCRCA No.1122 of 2025 vide order dated 29.07.2025, Accordingly, I am not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant. 7. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application of the applicant– Rajesh Sonwani, filed under Section 482 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 involved in Crime No.334/2025, registered at Police Station – Out post Junapara, P.S. Takhatpur District – Bilaspur (C.G.) for the alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 420 and 34 of IPC is rejected. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice vaishali