1 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1306 of 2026 Sanskar @ Bittu Saluja S/o Sunil Saluja Aged About 22 Years R/o Ward No. 4, Fokatpara Tivsaraiya Police Station - Dharsiwan District- Raipur (C.G.) ... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh through- Station House Officer, Police Station- Tilda- Neora, District- Raipur (C.G.) ... Respondent For the applicant : Mr. Veer Verma, Advocate For the State : Mr. Amit Singh, Deputy Advocate General (Hon’ble Shri Justice Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal) Order on Board 23.02.2026 1. This is first bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicant in Crime No. 478/2022 registered at Police Station Tilda, Neora, District Raipur (CG) for the offences under Sections 302, 201, 120-B, 34 of IPC. 2 (i) According to the prosecution story, informant Kailash Mandle gave inquest information stating that on 14.10.2022 he was working ALLENA ANNAJEE RAO Digitally signed by ALLENA ANNAJEE RAO Date: 2026.02.25 10:45:42 +0530 2 as a watchman at the Jalso Bajrang Power Plant Nursery and he was on duty in the nursery’s guard room. At around 6.00 p.m., a cow- herder Laxman Yadav came and told him that an unidentified man was lying dead inside the Nilgiri Nursery. A liquor bottle, disposables and empty earphone cases were lying around the deceased’s body and that the body was emitting a foul odor. (ii) Based on such information, crime was registered at Tilda Nevra Plice Station. During investigation, present applicant Sansakar alias Bittu Saluja other accused Imran Alam, and Ritesh Prajapati along with the juvenile offender were taken into custody and on interrogation, they confessed the crime. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that there is no direct evidence to connect the applicant in crime in question and only on the basis of circumstantial evidence and last seen theory, the applicant has been inculpated on mere suspicion. He submits that the material witnesses namely Kailash Kumar Mandle (P.W.1) and Vishwanath Kurre (P.W.2) have been examined before the learned trial Court and they have not supported the prosecution case. He submits that the applicant is in jail since 16.10.2022 and till date out of a total 46 witnesses, only 3 have been examined and there is no immediate possibility of disposal of case, therefore, he may be enlarged on bail. 4. Per contra, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that on the basis of the seizure memorandum, gate pass, purse, mobile and a motorbike etc., of deceased and his blood stained clothes were seized from accused persons. He submits that 3 the accused has previous criminal record which shows his involvement in the offence u/s 457, 380 of IPC. 5. Having considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties and the overall facts and circumstances of the case, I am not inclined to release him on regular bail at this stage. Accordingly, the bail application is rejected. 6. However, looking to the custody period of the applicant as he is stated to be in jail for the last more than 3 years and considering the matter to be an exception one, the trial Court is directed to expedite the trial as early as possible preferably within a period of 6 months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. 7. Copy of this order be sent to the trial Court for information. Sd/- (Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal) Judge Rao