1 2026:CGHC:14799 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 2371 of 2026 1 - Anil Pardhi S/o Faguwa Pardhi, Aged About 35 Years, R/o Village Deori, Police Station Ratanpur, District Bilaspur Present Address- Village Banjari Street Outpost Chichola, P.S. Churia District- Rajnandgaon Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through S.H.O. Bagnadi, District- Rajnandgaon Chhattisgarh. ... Respondent For Applicant : Mr. Sudhanshu Kumar, Advocate. For Respondent/State : Mr. Sumit Singh, Dy.A.G. Hon'ble Shri Justice Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal Order on Board 30 / 03 / 2026 1. The accused/applicant has moved this first bail application under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023, for releasing him on regular bail during trial in connection with Crime No. 04/2023 registered at Police Station – Baghnadi, District –Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of IPC. 2. As per the prosecution case, on 10.12.2022 Kotwar Mohildas informed the Police that an half-burnt dead body of an unknown person was found in Fatteganj forest, on which, the Police team went to the scene, prepared inquest report and sent the remains of the unidentified deceased body for postmortem. SOURABH PATEL Digitally signed by SOURABH PATEL Date: 2026.03.30 17:51:47 +0530 2 During investigation, the deceased was identified as Mahendra Kapoor Pardhi, a resident of Fatehganj who had been missing for several days. The DNA test confirmed the body to be of Mahendra. On suspicion, deceased’s brother Anil Pardhi (applicant) and his wife were interrogated. The present applicant Anil Pardi stated that his brother Mahendra would often get into fights after consuming liquor and in one night, deceased attacked him, and out of self-defese and rivalry, he stabbed his brother on head and neck with sickle and killed him. Later, the applicant along with his wife took the body to the forest and buried it, thereby they tried to cause disappearance of evidence. On the basis of such memorandum statement, the offence was registered against the present applicant and his wife. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the case. He further submits that the FIR was lodged against an unknown person and the applicant has been falsely implicated due to previous enmity. There is no allegation against the applicant of being involved in the crime in question. The evidence collected by the prosecution is prima facie insufficient to establish the applicant's guilt, and he has been arrested merely on suspicion. The co-accused person has already been granted bail by this Court in MCRC No. 20/2026 on 19.01.2026. The applicant has no criminal antecedents and has been in jail since 14.07.2025. There is no likelihood of the case being decided in the near future; therefore, the applicant may be released on bail. 3 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposed the bail application, submitting that a sickle and motorcycle used in the crime have been seized from the present applicant. He further submits that the father of the deceased (PW-6) has also fully supported the case of the prosecution. Out of a total of 33 witnesses, only 8 have been examined till date, and several important witnesses remain to be examined; therefore, at this stage, the applicant may not be released on bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the entire facts and circumstances of the case, particularly looking to the material available on record and the evidence against the applicant, further considering the fact that out of 33 witnesses, only 08 have been examined till date, and and some important witnesses are still remaining for examination, at this stage, I am not inclined to release the applicant on bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application filed under Section 483 of BNSS, 2023 is rejected. 8. However, considering the fact that the applicant is in jail since 14.07.2025. It is an exceptional case, therefore, concerned trial Court is directed to expedite the trial as early as possible. 9. Office is directed to sent a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- (Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal) Judge Sourabh P.