1 2025:CGHC:46615 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1393 of 2025 • Ramcharan Chauhan S/o Manrakhu Chauhan Aged About 55 Years Occupation Agriculture Former, Seller Nishchay Naya Savera Women Self Help Group R/o Village Kapu, P.S. And Tehsil Kapu, Dharamjaigarh District - Raigarh (C.G.) ... Applicant versus • State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer P.S. Kapu District- Raigarh (C.G.) ... Respondent (Cause title is taken from Case Information System) For Applicant : Mr. Ashutosh Biswas, Advocate For Respondent/State : Mr. Sakib Ahmed, Panel Lawyer Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order On Board 11.09.2025 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. 089/2025, registered at Police Station – Kapu, District – Raigarh (C.G.) for the alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 316(5) & 3(5) of BNS and 3/7 of Essential Commodities Act. 2. According to the prosecution story, on 10.06.2025, Food Inspector Surani Chauhan filed a complaint at Kapu Police Station alleging irregularities by the President (Mrs. Tuleshwari Chouhan), Secretary VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Digitally signed by VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Date: 2025.09.12 18:34:44 +0530 2 (Guruvari Rathia), and Vendor (Shri Ramcharan Chouhan) of the Nischay Naya Savera Self-Help Group, all residents of village Ruafool. The complaint concerns alleged diversion of food grains from government fair price shops in the villages of Ruafool, Chahla, and Kamosindad. The alleged diversion includes 533.81 quintals of rice, 0.27 quintals of sugar, 3.08 quintals of gram, and 2.42 quintals of salt from Ruafool shop; 4.33 quintals of APL rice, 309.02 quintals of BPL rice, and 1.40 quintals of sugar from Chahla shop; and 14.12 quintals of APL rice, 432.55 quintals of BPL rice, 1.70 quintals of gram, and 1.72 quintals of salt from Kamosindad shop. The total diverted quantities amount to 18.45 quintals of APL rice, 1275.38 quintals of BPL rice, 1.67 quintals of sugar, 4.78 quintals of gram, and 4.14 quintals of salt, valued at approximately Rs. 54,17,278. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant has been falsely implicated in this case. It has been argued by learned counsel for the applicant that applicant is a vendor along with his wife, and one other co-accused, who is Secretary in Nishchay Naya Savera Self–Help Group are involved in the present case and wife of the applicant, who is President of said group has granted anticipatory bail by this Court in MCRCA No.1031 of 2025 vide order dated 15.07.2025, investigation and trial may take some time. Therefore, he prays for grant of anticipatory bail to the present applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the submission made by the learned counsel for the applicant and submits that applicant along with co-accused persons are involved in the present case and there was shortage has been found of Essential Commodities worth Rs.54,17,278/- therefore, applicant is not entitled for grant of anticipatory bail and co-accused namely 3 Tuleshwari Chouhan has been granted anticipatory bail by this Court only on the ground that she is a lady. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the nature and gravity of the offence and material available on record in the case diary and also considering the fact that applicant along with co-accused persons are involved in the present case and there was shortage has been found of Essential Commodities worth Rs.54,17,278/- and co-accused namely Tuleshwari Chouhan has been granted anticipatory bail by this Court only on the ground that she is a lady, as such, I am not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant. 7. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application of the applicant– Ramcharacn Chouhan filed under Section 482 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 involved in Crime No.089/2025, registered at Police Station – Kapu, District – Raigarh (C.G.) for the alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 316(5) & 3(5) of BNS and 3/7 of Essential Commodities Act is rejected. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice vaishali