1 2026:CGHC:8802 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1639 of 2026 Jitendra Mahanand S/o Late Madhav Mahanand Aged About 29 Years R/o 7/969, Shiv Market, Fafadih, Trimurti Nagar, Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.) (Accused No.23) ... Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer, Police Station Civil Lines, Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Applicant(s) : Mr. Pushpendra Kumar Patel, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Ms. Vaishali Mahilang, Dy. G.A. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 19/02/2026 1. This is the first bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 129/2025 registered at Police Station Civil Line, Raipur, District- Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable AKHILESH KUMAR DEWANGAN Digitally signed by AKHILESH KUMAR DEWANGAN 2 under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111, 3(5) of BNS. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the accused, Jitendra Mahanand, along with other co-accused persons, was involved in an organized cyber fraud racket wherein multiple bank accounts were opened and used for routing and laundering cheated money amounting to approximately Rs.64,10,855/-. It is alleged that the accused, in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy, facilitated the commission of cyber offences by assisting in the transfer and concealment of fraudulently obtained funds, thereby voluntarily aiding in handling stolen property derived from cyber cheating. On the basis of investigation, sufficient prima facie material was found against him, and charge-sheet has been filed for offences punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Hence, the bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the present case. He further submits that co-accused, Ishika Singh has been granted bail by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Criminal Appeal No. 4494/2025 arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 13678/2025, vide order dated 13.10.2025, and thereafter, one co-accused, Avinash Tandekar has been granted bail by this Court vide order dated 08.01.2026 in MCTC No.148 of 2026 on similar footing, therefore, on the principle of parity, the present applicant is also entitled to the benefit of bail. The applicant is in jail since 26.03.2025, the applicant has no criminal antecedent, charge-sheet has been filed and the trial is 3 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. She further submits that allegedly the applicant in connivance with other co-accused persons, actively participated in an organized cyber fraud syndicate by facilitating the opening and use of multiple bank accounts for receiving and transferring cheated amounts totaling approximately Rs.64,10,855/-, and thereby assisted in the commission of cyber cheating and in the concealment and routing of fraudulently obtained money, further bail applications of identically situated co-accused persons have already been rejected by this Court in MCRC Nos. 9054 of 2025, 9564 of 2025, 8661 of 2025, 9209 of 2025, 8228 of 2025, 8633 of 2025, 9441 of 2025, 9330 of 2025 and 9652 of 2025, therefore, the applicant is not entitled for grant of bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. From perusal of the case diary, it prima facie appears that allegedly the applicant in connivance with other co-accused persons, actively participated in an organized cyber fraud syndicate by facilitating the opening and use of multiple bank accounts for receiving and transferring cheated amounts totaling approximately Rs.64,10,855/-, and thereby assisted in the commission of cyber cheating and in the concealment and routing of fraudulently obtained 4 money, further, the co-accused on whom learned counsel for the applicant is placing reliance was granted bail by the Hon’ble Supreme Court on the ground that she is a lady and has received only Rs.8,000/- in her account, whereas the bail applications of identically situated co-accused persons have already been rejected by this in MCRC Nos. 9054 of 2025, 9564 of 2025, 8661 of 2025, 9209 of 2025, 8228 of 2025, 8633 of 2025, 9441 of 2025, 9330 of 2025 and 9652 of 2025. Therefore, considering the seriousness of the allegations, which is of serious economic nature, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicants on bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail applications of applicant - Jitendra Mahanand, involved in Crime No. 129/2025 registered at Police Station Civil Line, Raipur, District- Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111, 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 for necessary information and compliance. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE Akhil