1 2026:CGHC:8832 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1729 of 2026 1. Joseph Minj S/o. Sahdev Minj, Aged About 40 Years Occupation Laborer, R/o. Village Khamhar, Police Station Lailunga, District Raigarh, C.G. 2. Sonu Ekka S/o. Ramdhan Ekka, Aged About 26 Years Occupation Laborer, R/o. Village Khamhar, Police Station Lailunga, District Raigarh C.G. ... Applicants versus State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station- Lailunga, District - Raigarh (C.G.) ... Non-Applicant For Applicants : Mr. Abhishek Saraf, Advocate. For Non-Applicant/State : Ms. Sameeksha Gupta, Panel Lawyer. Hon’ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 19.02.2026 1. The applicants have preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as they have been arrested in connection with Crime No. 281/2025, registered at Police Station – Lailunga, District - Raigarh (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 105 and 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. As per the prosecution story, on 12.10.2025, the informant, Alok Kumar Sahu, appeared at Police Station Lailunga and lodged an oral report stating that on the same day, Lalkumar Sahu had harvested paddy from his field at Mudabahla. On the pretext that wild boars eat the paddy at night, both of them went to the field to burst firecrackers to scare the PREETI KUMARI Digitally signed by PREETI KUMARI Date: 2026.02.19 18:32:21 +0530 2 animals away. It is alleged that an unknown person had connected a wire from an electric pole and laid it around the field by fixing it to a stick with the intention of killing wild boars. During this time, the left leg of Lalkumar Sahu became entangled in the live wire, and he was electrocuted, resulting in his death on the spot. On the report of the informant, an inquest was registered and panchnama proceedings were conducted. During the inquest, post-mortem examination, spot inspection, and recording of witness statements, it was found that the death of the deceased occurred due to contact with the live electric wire laid near his field by an unknown person. Accordingly, Crime No. 281/2025 under Sections 105 and 3(5) of the BNS was registered against unknown accused at Police Station Lailunga and taken up for investigation. The applicants have been languishing in jail since 13.11.2025, and the charge sheet has been filed in the case. 3. Learned counsel for the applicants submits that the applicants are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the present case. It is further submitted that as per the entire charge-sheet story, on 12.10.2025, the informant, Alok Kumar Sahu, appeared at Police Station Lailunga and lodged an oral merg intimation stating that on the pretext that wild boars eat the paddy at night, he and Lalkumar Sahu(deceased) had gone to the field to burst firecrackers to scare them away. There, some unknown person had connected a wire to an electric pole and tied it to a stick fixed at the edge of the field in order to kill wild boars. The left leg of Lalkumar Sahu(deceased) became entangled in the said wire and he was electrocuted, resulting in his death on the spot. No one has seen the present applicants committing the alleged offence. Further, the there is no specific allegation attributed against them in this Case. He also submits that the Charge-sheet has been filed and the applicants have no previous 3 criminal antecedents and has been in judicial custody since 13.11.2025. As the trial is likely to take considerable time to conclude, learned counsel prays for grant of bail to the applicants. 4. On the other hand, the learned State counsel opposed the bail application and submitted that the charge-sheet has been filed in the present case. She further submits that applicant No.1 has one previous criminal antecedents under the Gambling Act. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the documents available on record. 6. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the allegations levelled against the applicants and the fact that there appears to be no specific overt act attributed to the present applicants in the merg intimation, further the charge-sheet has already been filed, the applicants are stated to have no previous criminal antecedents, and they have been in judicial custody since 13.11.2025, the trial is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion, this Court is of the opinion that the applicants are entitled to be released on bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application is allowed. 7. Accordingly, the bail application is allowed. Let the applicants No.1 and 2- Joseph Minj and Sonu Ekka, involved in Crime No. 281/2025, registered at Police Station – Lailunga, District - Raigarh (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 105 and 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond with two sureties each in the like sum to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicants shall file an undertaking to the effect that they shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in 4 court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law. (ii) The applicants shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through their counsel. In case of their absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against them under Section 269 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iii) In case, the applicants misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure their presence, proclamation under Section 84 of BNSS. is issued and the applicants fails to appear before the Court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against them, in accordance with law, under Section 209 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iv) The applicants shall remain present, in person, before the trial Court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 351 of BNSS. If in the opinion of the trial court absence of the applicants are deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against them in accordance with law. 8. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Preeti