1 2025:CGHC:43382 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1292 of 2025 Ritesh Das Mahant S/o Shri Ganesh Das Mahant Aged About 20 Years R/o Village - Baredimuda, Tehsil - Darri, District - Korba Chhattisgarh ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station Katghora, District - Korba Chhattisgarh ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Hrishabh Deo Shukla, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Mr. Hariom Rai, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order On Board 26.08.2025 1. The applicant has preferred this application under Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of Anticipatory Bail, apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.56/2025, registered at Police Station – Katghora, District – Korba (C.G.) for the alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 308(2), of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 67 & 67 (A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. VAIBHAV SINGH Digitally signed by VAIBHAV SINGH Date: 2025.08.28 14:49:57 +0530 2 2. The prosecution story in brief is that, on 09.02.2025 the complainant has given a written complaint to Police Station Katghora, District- Korba (C.G.), mentioning therein that, the complainant is an anganwadi worker and she has met the applicant namely Ritesh Das Mahant during a wedding function in the year 2021. After that they started having conversations via phone chats. Further it is alleged in the complaint that with the consent of the complainant, both the applicant and complainant made physical relation and their acts were recorded. Thereafter, the complainant asked the applicant to delete the video, to which the applicant has responded that he has deleted the said video. It is further the case of the complainant that, after few days the applicant started blackmailing and demanding money from the complainant by threatening her of circulating the video. According to the complainant, she has already paid Rs. 10,000/- via PhonePe and Rs. 15,000/- in cash to the applicant and when she denied giving more money to the applicant then on 09.02.2025, the video was circulated through a fake Instagram account made on the name of Sadhna Manikpuri (sister of the complainant). Upon the complaint made by the complainant, Police Station Katghora, registered the First Information Report bearing crime no. 56/2025 (copy of F.I.R. not annexed with the application being Case Sensitive), for the offence punishable under Section 308(2) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and section 67 & 67(A) of Information Technology Act, 2000. 3. The applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He is only 20 years of age and his detention would seriously affect his career and personal growth. The applicant has no previous criminal antecedents and is a law-abiding citizen. There is no 3 evidence to establish that he created or uploaded the alleged video, which was, in fact, circulated by the complainant herself through a fake account. The complainant had been involved with the applicant since 2021, when he was a minor, and had been harassing and exploiting him mentally and physically. Upon learning in 2025 that the applicant was about to get married, she pressurized him to continue the relationship, and on his refusal, out of vengeance, she uploaded the alleged video on social media with the sole intention of breaking his marriage, which ultimately got cancelled, and thereafter lodged this false complaint against him, therefore, he prays for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 4. On the other hand, the learned State Counsel opposes the anticipatory bail application and submits that, since the offence is also registered under the I.T. Act and the obscene photograph was allegedly uploaded by the applicant through a social media account created in the name of the complainant’s sister, therefore, the applicant is not entitled to anticipatory bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the offence, and the material available on record in the case diary, and the fact that the applicant has been accused of blackmailing the complainant, extorting money, and circulating obscene content on social media, therefore, this Court is of the considered opinion that it is not a fit case for grant of anticipatory bail. 4 7. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application of the applicant – Ritesh Das Mahant, involved in Crime No.56/2025, registered at Police Station – Katghora, District – Korba (C.G.) for the alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 308(2), of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 67 & 67 (A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, is rejected. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice vaibhav