1 2026:CGHC:3975 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 48 of 2026 Leena Dewangan D/o P.R. Dewangan Aged About 36 Years R/o Room No. 202, H I G 58, Sector 29, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, P.S. Raakhi, Raipur, Distt- Raipur C.G. ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station A.C.B. / E.O.W. Raipur, Distt- Raipur C.G. ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Manoj Paranjpe, Senior Advocate along with Mr. Mayank Chandrakar, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Mr. Sourabh Kumar Pande, Dy. A.G. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 22.01.2026 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 her arrest in connection with Crime No.64/2025 registered at Police Station – ACB/EOW, SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Digitally signed by SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Date: 2026.01.27 11:07:42 +0530 2 Raipur District - Raipur, (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120(B) of IPC and also under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 2. The prosecution case, in brief, is that the applicant is posted as a Revenue Inspector in the office of the Commissioner, Chhattisgarh Land Branch/Land Maps, E-Namantaran (Mutation), Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, and has been so posted since her appointment dated 20.06.2017. It is alleged that in connection with the Departmental Promotion Examination for the post of Revenue Inspector, 2024, certain irregularities were committed relating to typographical errors, page setting, question paper setting and tampering of seals, in which the applicant, along with other co-accused persons, is stated to be involved. It is further the prosecution case that a five-member committee was constituted to inquire into the alleged irregularities in the Revenue Inspector Departmental Examination, 2024, held on 16.01.2025. On the basis of the enquiry report submitted by the said committee, a complaint was lodged before the concerned police station, pursuant to which an FIR was registered on 17.11.2025 against the applicant and other co-accused persons under the relevant provisions of law, the investigation in the matter is presently pending. Hence, this anticipatory bail application has been filed. 3 3. Learned Senior Advocate for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He further submits as per the FIR, the prosecution alleges certain irregularities in the Revenue Inspector selection examination, including deviation from the prescribed syllabus, non-compliance with admit-card instructions, addition of a mobile- number column in the OMR sheet, and alleged manual alteration of the selection list, on the basis of which the crime has been registered. It is submitted that the applicant was not associated with any stage of the selection process such as printing, storage, transportation, distribution, or evaluation of question papers. The enquiry report dated 16.01.2025 submitted by the five-member committee constituted by the State Government does not attribute any role or misconduct to the applicant, and even the FIR does not prima facie disclose her involvement. The applicant is presently posted in the office of the Commissioner, Chhattisgarh, Bhuiyan Branch/Bhu-Naksha, E-Namantaran, Nava Raipur and prays that she may be granted anticipatory bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the submissions advanced on behalf of the applicants and submits that at the relevant time the applicant was posted as Revenue Inspector in the Office of the Commissioner, Land Records, Chhattisgarh, Nava Raipur, and was a member of the Examination Branch of the Revenue Inspector Promotion Training Examination-2024, entrusted with maintaining confidentiality of 4 the examination. It is alleged that the question paper was leaked prior to the examination by co-accused Virendra Jatav for monetary gain, and digital evidence including Call Detail Records has been collected showing illegal distribution of the leaked paper. He further submits that such leakage could not have occurred without the negligence or connivance of the examination branch members, including the applicant, and as the investigation is still in progress, custodial interrogation is necessary; therefore, the applicant is not entitled to anticipatory bail, therefore, she is not entitled for grant of anticipatory bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Having considered the rival submissions and the material available on record, this Court finds that no specific overt act has been attributed to the applicant showing her direct involvement in the alleged leakage of the question paper. The allegations against the applicant are primarily based on her official position as a member of the examination branch, and there is no material at this stage to prima facie establish her complicity or connivance in the commission of the offence. In the absence of any concrete evidence necessitating custodial interrogation, and the investigation being largely documentary in nature, this Court is of the considered view that the applicant has made out a case for grant of anticipatory bail. 5 7. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in the event of arrest of the applicant – Leena Dewangan, on executing a personal bond and one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting Officer, she shall be released on bail on the following conditions:- (a) The applicant/s 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/him/them from disclosing such fact to the Court. (b) The applicant/s shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial. (c) The applicant/s shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to her/him/them by the said Court till disposal of the trial. (d) The applicant/s 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) The applicant/s shall not involve herself/himself/themselves in any offence of similar nature in future. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Priya