1 2026:CGHC:4948 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 965 of 2026 Sonu @ Keshri Chandravanshi S/o Shobharam @ Narad Chandravanshi Aged About 28 Years R/o Village Paraswara, Police Station Pandatarai, District Kabirdham, Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House OfÏcer, Police Station Pandatarai, District Kabirdham, Chhattisgarh. ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Mr. Chandrikaditya Pandey, Advocate For Non-Applicant/State : Ms. Nupur Trivedi, Panel Lawyer Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 29.01.2026 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. 157/2025 registered at Police Station- Pandatarai, District- Kabirdham, (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 109, 296, 351(3), and 115(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. The prosecution story in brief, is that on 19.10.2025 the complainant, Dharmendra Chandravanshi, lodged a report at Police RAHUL DEWANGAN Digitally signed by RAHUL DEWANGAN 2 Station Pandatarai alleging that on 15.10.2025 at about 8:30 PM, after having dinner, he went for a walk with his friends towards the Durga Temple, where they were sitting behind the temple premises. At that time, due to an old enmity relating to monetary transactions, the accused Sonu @ Keshari Chandravanshi, resident of the same village, came there, abused the complainant with filthy language, threatened him with dire consequences by stating that he would not return the money, and assaulted him with a sharp-edged weapon. As a result of the assault, the complainant sustained injuries on his right cheek, right arm, back, and little finger of the right hand, causing bleeding. The incident was witnessed by Ashish Sahu and Durgesh Sahu, who intervened. Thereafter, the complainant was taken to PHC Pandatarai and subsequently referred to District Hospital, Kawardha, where he remained hospitalized from 15.10.2025 to 18.10.2025. On the basis of the said report, FIR bearing Crime No.157/2025 was registered at Police Station Pandatarai for offences punishable under Sections 118(1), 296, and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and investigation was undertaken. During investigation, the present applicant was arrested on 18.11.2025, memorandum statement was recorded, seizures were effected, articles were sent for chemical examination, and statements of witnesses as well as the accused under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 were recorded. After completion of investigation, charge-sheet has been filed for offences punishable under Sections 109, 296, 351(3), and 115(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Hence, this bail application. 3 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant has been falsely implicated in the present case and is innocent. The alleged incident arose out of a sudden scufÒe and pushing between the applicant and the complainant over a monetary dispute, during which the complainant allegedly fell on barbed wire kept near the spot and sustained only minor scratches and simple injuries. No knife or sharp-edged weapon was used by the applicant, and the medical records clearly show that the injuries are simple in nature, as the complainant was discharged from the hospital within three days, which rules out any allegation of grievous hurt or life- threatening assault. It is further submitted that the complainant has voluntarily entered into an out-of-court compromise with the applicant and has filed an afÏdavit stating that he has no objection to grant of bail. He further submits that though the applicant has seven criminal antecedents, six cases have already been disposed of and only one case under the Chhattisgarh Excise Act of the year 2023 is pending, which is of petty nature and unrelated to the present allegations. The applicant is a permanent resident with deep roots in society, is the sole bread earner of his family. He also submits that the applicant is in jail since 18.11.2025, the charge- sheet has been submitted before the competent Court, 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, the learned State counsel opposed the bail application of the present applicant and submitted that the charge- sheet has been submitted before the competent Court. She also 4 submits that the prosecution case clearly discloses a brutal assault committed by the applicant with a sharp-edged weapon, namely a knife, arising out of prior enmity relating to monetary transactions. The complainant sustained four incised wounds, which are grievous in nature, on vital parts of the body including the cheek, arm, back, and finger, as supported by the medical evidence. The weapon- query report is positive, conclusively establishing that the injuries were caused by a sharp-edged weapon like a knife, and not by any accidental fall or scufÒe as falsely claimed by the applicant. The incident was witnessed by eye-witnesses Ashish Sahu and Durgesh Sahu, whose statements corroborate the prosecution story. She further submits that the applicant has 07 previous criminal antecedents. Considering the seriousness of the offence, the nature of injuries, use of a deadly weapon, and the criminal antecedents of the applicant, and therefore, the applicant is not entitled to the grant of regular 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 nature and gravity of the allegations, the specific role attributed to the applicant, and the material available on record, it prima facie appears that the applicant assaulted the complainant with a sharp- edged weapon, namely a knife, causing four incised wounds, which are grievous in nature, on vital parts of the body including the cheek, arm, back, and finger, as supported by the medical evidence and positive weapon-query report. The incident was witnessed by 5 eye-witnesses, whose statements corroborate the prosecution version. The offence has arisen out of prior enmity and reflects a violent conduct. Further, the applicant has criminal antecedents to the extent of seven cases, though six have been disposed of and one case under the Excise Act of the year 2023 is still pending, which cannot be ignored at this stage. In view of the seriousness of the offence, use of a deadly weapon, and the likelihood of repetition of similar offences, 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 – Sonu @ Keshri Chandravanshi, involved in Crime No. 157/2025 registered at Police Station- Pandatarai, District- Kabirdham, (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 109, 296, 351(3), and 115(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, is rejected. 8. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 9. OfÏce 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 Rahul Dewangan