1 2026:CGHC:8866 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 277 of 2026 • Najim Ali S/o A. Hasim Ali Aged About 38 Years R/o Sethi Nagar, Thana - Chakradharnagar, Raigarh, Tehsil And District - Raigarh (Chhattisgarh) ... Applicant versus • State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station Bhupdevpur, District Raigarh (Chhattisgarh) ... Respondent (Cause title is taken from Case Information System) For Applicant : Ms. Poulami Das, Advocate For Respondent/State : Ms. Nupur Trivedi, Panel Lawyer Hon’ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 19/02/2026 1. This is First anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by the applicant, who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.112/2025 registered at Police Station – Bhupdevpur, District- Raigarh (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 331(4), 305(A), 3(5) and 112(2) Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (for short ‘BNS’), 2023. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that, as per the FIR lodged on 25.08.2025 by Sheetal Das Mahant, a security guard at Visa Power Plant, a theft of approximately 2 tons of iron sheet plats valued at VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Digitally signed by VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Date: 2026.02.20 18:48:05 +0530 2 around Rs.50,000/- was reported. The FIR specifically Ravishankar Sahu and Mukesh Sahu as the perpetrators and further states that the states that the stolen goods were stored at their residence from where the police allegedly seized the same. The applicant is conspicuously absent from the core narrative of the FIR. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the present. It is further submits that the FIR itself identifies the actual perpetrators i.e., Ravishankar Sahu and Mukesh Sahu and the place of storage of the stolen goods as their residence. She further submits that there is no recovery has been made from the present applicant and only on the basis of memorandum statement of co-accused persons, present applicant has been implicated in crime in question. She also submits that co-accused namely Ravishankar Sahu and Mukesh Sahu have already been granted regular bail by learned trial Court and the conclusion of trial is likely to take some time, therefore, she prays for releasing the applicant on anticipatory bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposed the bail application and submitted that co-accused persons have granted regular bail by learned trial Court and applicant has one previous antecedent of similar nature, it appears that applicant is a habitual offender therefore, the applicant is not entitled to bail. 1. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 2. Considering the facts & circumstances of the case, gravity of offence, submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, allegation levelled against the applicant and also considering the fact that 3 applicant is involved in a case of theft and is having one previous criminal antecedent of similar nature and co-accused persons have granted regular bail by learned trial Court, it cannot be a ground to grant him anticipatory bail therefore, I am not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant. 3. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application of the applicant– Najim Ali filed under Section 482 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 involved in Crime No.112/2025 registered at Police Station – Bhupdevpur, District-Raigarh (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 331(4), 305(A), 3(5) and 112(2) Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (for short ‘BNS’), 2023, is rejected. 4. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 5. 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 Vaishali