1 2025:CGHC:61208 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 9716 of 2025 Lokesh Ghritlahre S/o Amar Singh Ghritlahre Aged About 20 Years R/o Village- Pachri, Police Station- Patewa, District- Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Sho, Police Station- Akaltara, District- Janjgir- Champa (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Applicant : Mr. Siddharth Pandey, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Mr. Vivek Sharma, Panel Lawyer Hon’ble Shri Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, Judge Order on Board 16/12/2025 1. This is the first bail application filed under Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested on 28.10.2025 in connection with Crime No. 38/2025, registered at Police Station- Akaltara, District- Janjgir- 2 Champa (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 137(2), 87, 64(2)(m) of BNS and Section 4 and 6 of POCSO Act, 2012. 2. Pursuant to the order dated 28.11.2025 the victim appeared before this Court and raised no objection to the present bail application. 3. The prosecution story, in brief, is that on 30.01.2025, an FIR was registered against an unknown person on the complaint of the mother of the victim, specifically alleging that the victim on 29.01.2025 on the pretext of getting the clothes stitched, left the house after informing her grandmother; however, she did not come back home. On inquiry about her whereabouts from the other relatives, she could not be traced. It was further alleged that the victim was aged about 17 years 4 months. Later, on 27.10.2025, during the investigation, on the information supplied by the informant, the victim was recovered from Village Jhalap Pachri, who was in the company of the present applicant. After the investigation, the offences punishable under Sections 87, 64(2) (m) of BNS and Sections 4 and 6 of POCSO were added. On 10.11.2025, the charge sheet for the aforementioned offences was filed before the competent court against the present applicant. 4. Learned counsel for the applicant contended that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the alleged commission of offence. There was a love affair between the applicant and the victim and when the victim’s family came to 3 know about the said fact, the FIR was lodged against the present applicant. The victim along with her mother appeared before the trial Court and raised no objection to the grant of bail to the present applicant. The applicant is a young boy of 20 years and is in jail since 28.10.2025. He therefore prays for grant of bail to the present applicant. 5. Learned State Counsel and raised objection to the contentions of the counsel for the applicant. 6. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 7. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, particularly the fact that the prosecutrix and her mother raised no objection to the bail application of the present applicant before this Court as well as before the trial Court, the applicant has no criminal antecedents. He is in jail since 28.10.2025 further the conclusion of the trial may take some more time, therefore, looking to the entire facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is of the view that the applicant is entitled to be released on bail in this case. 8. Let the applicant- Lokesh Ghritlahre, involved in Crime No. 38/2025 registered at Police Station- Akaltara, District- Janjgir- Champa (C.G.), for the offence punishable under aforesaid Sections be released on bail on his furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 4 10,000/- with one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the Court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law. (ii) The applicant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through his counsel. In case of his absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against them under Section 269 of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 (iii) In case, the applicant misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure their presence, proclamation under Section 84 of BNSS, is issued and the applicant fail to appear before the court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against them, in accordance with law, under Section 209 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 5 (iv) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 351 BNSS. If in the opinion of the trial court absence of the applicants is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against them in accordance with law. 9. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- (Arvind Kumar Verma) JUDGE Madhurima