1 2025:CGHC:52579 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1633 of 2025 Piyush Chandra S/o Satyanarayan Chandra Aged About 27 Years R/o Ward No. 06, Kosir, P.S. Kosir, District : Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Chhattisgarh ...Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through S.H.O. P.S. Kosir, District : Sarangarh- Bilaigarh, Chhattisgarh ...Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Ishwar Chandra, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Ms. Smriti Shrivastava, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 28.10.2025 1. This first anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by the applicant, who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No. 94/2025 registered at Police Station – Kosir District – Sarangarh-Bilagarh (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 318(4), 316(5) & 3(5) of the BNS. VAIBHAV SINGH Digitally signed by VAIBHAV SINGH Date: 2025.10.29 13:05:08 +0530 2 2. The prosecution story in brief, is that on 09.03.2025 as per orders of the concerned Collector, a five-team member committee was directed to conduct inspection at the Paddy Procurement Centre, Kosir and during which it was found that there was a shortage of 3043.22 quintals of paddy worth Rs.94,33,982/- at the procurement centre. Thereafter, on 22.03.2025 an FIR bearing no. 94/2025 was registered under Section 318(4), 316(5) & 3(5) of BNS at P.S. Kosir, Distt. Sarangarh-Bilaigarh (C.G) against accused persons namely Rahul Kumar Tandon (Prabhari Prabandhak and Computer Operator) , Dilaram Tandon (Fad Prabhari), Sukhram Anant & Shyam kumar Jangde (Paddy Purchase Prabhari), all of them being members of concerned Co-operative Society carrying out the procurement process at the Paddy procurement centre, Kosir; with the allegation that these accused persons have made fake purchase entries of 3043.22 quintols of Paddy worth Rs. 94,33,982/- and further it was alleged that out of the said fake purchase of Rs. 3043.22 quintols of Paddy, about 2847.60 quintols was shown to have been purchased from 33 farmers who have not physically went to the paddy centre for the selling of the paddy. The further case of the prosecution is that the present applicant has been named in the list of said 33 farmers and based on the same, the present applicant has been implicated in the present case. 3. Learned Counsel for the applicant respectfully submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case, as his name does not find mention in the FIR and there is no material available against him in the same. It is submitted that, as per the prosecution story, the applicant has been implicated on the allegation that he did not sell paddy physically at the Paddy 3 Procurement Centre; however, the applicant has, in fact, sold 210 quintals and 80 kilograms of paddy at the concerned centre and has also received a Taul Parchi (Weighing Slip) containing the details of the quantity of paddy sold, the date of sale, and the token number issued to him. The said Taul Parchi, annexed as Annexure A-3, clearly establishes that the applicant had physically sold paddy at the procurement centre, as such a document could not have been issued without the physical delivery of paddy. It is further submitted that the concerned Paddy Procurement Centre was under CCTV surveillance, and the transaction in question is duly recorded in the CCTV footage, which the applicant is willing to produce or have verified in any inquiry. The FIR was initially registered against certain named co-accused persons, including one Rahul Kumar Tandon, who has already been granted anticipatory bail by this Hon’ble Court vide order dated 24.04.2025 in MCRCA No. 575 of 2025 (Annexure A-4). Two other similarly placed accused persons, named among the list of 33 farmers along with the present applicant, have also been granted anticipatory bail by this Hon’ble Court vide orders dated 19.09.2025 passed in MCRCA No. 1451 of 2025 and MCRCA No. 1447 of 2025. The applicant has been cooperating fully with the investigation and, in compliance with various notices issued under Section 179 of the BNSS, has appeared before the Investigating Officer for recording of his statement, during which no coercive action was taken against him. However, after an unexplained delay of more than four months, the applicant has been falsely implicated. It is also pertinent to mention that the inspection at the Paddy Procurement Centre, Kosir, was carried out on 09.03.2025, whereas the FIR was lodged after an 4 inordinate delay of around 14 days, which itself indicates that the FIR is an afterthought. The applicant is a reputed farmer of the village, aged about 27 years, and is the sole breadwinner of his family, consisting of his wife and his ailing father, who is suffering from paralysis and is entirely dependent upon him, therefore, he prays for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 4. Learned State Counsel opposes the anticipatory bail application, submitting that during inspection at the Paddy Procurement Centre, Kosir, a shortage of 3043.22 quintals of paddy worth Rs. 94,33,982/- was found, and fake purchase entries were made in the names of 33 farmers, including the present applicant, who allegedly did not sell any paddy. It is argued that the offence involves serious financial irregularities, therefore, the applicant 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 facts and circumstances of the case, the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, the nature of the dispute, and the material available in the case diary, particularly as the co-accused has already been granted bail by the trial court in MCRCA No. 1447 of 2025 vide order dated 19.09.2025, without commenting further on the merits of the case, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicants. 7. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in the event of arrest of the applicant – Piyush Chandra, on executing a personal bond and one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the 5 arresting Officer, he shall be released on bail on the following conditions:- (a) he shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade her from disclosing such fact to the Court. (b) he shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial. (c) he shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to her by the said Court till disposal of the trial. (d) the applicant and the surety shall submit a copy of his adhaar card along with a coloured postcard full size photo having printed the adhaar number on it, which shall be verified by the trial Court. (e) he shall not involve himself in any offence of similar nature in future. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE Vaibhav