1 2025:CGHC:60562 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 10248 of 2025 Panchwati Alias Panchbai Alias Pancho Lahre W/o Late Komal Lahre Aged About 47 Years R/o Village - Lofandi, P.S. Koni, Distt - Bilaspur Chhattisgarh ... Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, P.S. Koni, Distt - Bilaspur Chhattisgarh ... Respondent(s) For Applicant(s) : Mr.Chandra Prakash Lahrey, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Mr. Nitansh Jaiswal, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 12.12.2025 1. The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’), for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 400/2025, registered at Police Station Koni, Distt - Bilaspur (CG) for the offence punishable under Section 2 105, 3(5) of BNS. 2. The prosecution story in brief, is that as per the case diary, Merg No. 07/2025 under Section 194 BNS was registered regarding the death of Dev Prasad, aged 40 years, resident of Village Lofandi, Thana Koni, District Bilaspur. During the inquest enquiry, statements of the family members and panch witnesses were recorded, and the FSL report confirmed that the death occurred due to consumption of methanol and ethanol, both hazardous chemicals for human life. The investigation revealed that the deceased was allegedly given illicit liquor mixed with methanol and ethanol by the applicant/accused and others, leading to his death. Accordingly, Crime No. 400/2025 under Section 105 BNS was registered against the applicant, and later Section 3(5) BNS was also added. The record further shows that the applicant is involved in three other similar cases relating to deaths caused by methanol-contaminated liquor. Hence, the bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case. He further submit that the applicant has been implicated solely on the basis of the memorandum of co-accused Bande Kumar Loniya, who was allegedly manufacturing and supplying handmade liquor to the applicant’s husband, Komal Lahre. The incident dated 05.02.2025 resulted in the death of four persons due to consumption of poisonous liquor supplied by the co-accused. The applicant’s husband Komal, who was also a habitual drinker with the deceased 3 persons, himself died on 07.02.2025 after consuming the same liquor, yet the police did not investigate the cause of his death during the merg inquiry. He also submits that there is a delay in lodging the FIR, and the applicant, being a housewife who lost her husband in the same incident, has been falsely implicated. No material or evidence has been collected to show that she served or supplied any poisonous liquor, and there is no substantive evidence linking her to the alleged offence. The applicant is in jail since 28.08.2025 and the trial is likely to take some time for its conclusion. Therefore, he prays for grant of bail to the applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been filed in the present case before the competent Court. He further submits that the applicant is alleged to be involved in the incident in which four persons died after consuming poisonous handmade liquor. The name of applicant surfaced in the memorandum of co-accused Bande Kumar Loniya, who manufactured and supplied such liquor to the applicant’s husband, who died after consuming the same. Therefore, the applicant is not entitled for grant of bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the facts & circumstances of the case, nature & gravity of the offence, material available in the case dairy and the fact that the applicant is alleged to be involved in a serious offence in which four persons died after consuming poisonous handmade liquor, her 4 name surfaced in the memorandum of co-accused Bande Kumar Loniya, who stated that he manufactured illicit liquor and supplied it to the applicant’s husband for further distribution, who also died after consuming the same, linking the applicant’s household to the illegal liquor network. The prosecution asserts that the applicant had knowledge of these activities and was connected to the supply chain that led to multiple deaths. Considering the gravity of the offence, the number of deaths, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicant on regular bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of applicant-Panchwati Alias Panchbai Alias Pancho Lahre, involved in Crime No. 400/2025, registered at Police Station Koni, Distt - Bilaspur (CG) for the offence punishable under Section 105, 3(5) of BNS, is rejected. 8. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and concluded the trial expeditiously. 9. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Akhil