1 2026:CGHC:10038 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 318 of 2026 • Yashwant Dhankar S/o Shankar Bhawani Dhankar, Aged About 25 Years R/o Kaurinbhata, Rajnandgaon, Tahsil And District- Rajnandgaon (C.G.) ... Applicant versus • State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, P.S. Kotwali District- Rajnandgaon (C.G.) ... Respondent (Cause title is taken from Case Information System) For Applicant : Ms. Priyanka Rai, Advocate For Respondent/State : Dr. Saurabh Kumar Pande, Dy.A.G. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 26/02/2026 1. This 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.305/2025 registered at Police Station – Kotwali, District: Rajnandgaon, C.G. for the offence punishable under Sections 316(2), 316(5) and 61(2) of BNS, 2023. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the complainant Pramila Jureshia (Deputy Forest Ranger) on 19.06.2025 lodged a report before City Kotwali, Rajnandgaon alleging that Tendu leaves of year VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Digitally signed by VAISHALI LUCKY NAGARIA Date: 2026.02.27 13:33:39 +0530 2 2022 were stored as Lot No. 64B of Forest Circle Bijapur, wherein buyer Sudhir Kumar Manek on account of not paying the amount of the stored Tendu levaes at Gurukripa Godown in front of Patidar Bhawan, Rajnandgaon, the contract was cancelled and after storage, the godown was locked with two keys one with the buyer Sudhir Manek and the other with the Chief Warehouse Incharge. Upon cancellation, the keys were returned to the Chief Warehouse Incharge. On April 24, 2023, a complaint was made by Rajesh Chowthwani alleging that good quality tendu leaves from the year 2022 had been removed and replaced with old, poor quality leaves. Upon inquiry on the said complaint by Managing Director, District Minor Forest Produce Union prima facie it was found that out of 174 sacks, 78 sacks were not found to have poor qualities, causing financial loss to the State Government amounting to Rs.93,34,487/-. Hence, this bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submitted applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the present case. It is further contended that applicant was not even employed at the said godown instead applicant was posted at District Union Office, Rajnandgaon. She further submits that an inquiry related to area of work and posting of applicant was also conducted by Managing Director District Cooperative Limited, Rajnandgaon (C.G.) wherein it was specifically find out that the applicant indulged in computed related work at office of District Union Rajnandgaon and based on the said report a proposal for removing the name of the applicant from the said FIR has been sent to Chief Godown Incharge, Rajnandgaon. She further contended that co-accused Ishwar Sahu has preferred anticipatory bail application bearing MCRCA No.1010/2025 which 3 was allowed by this court on 11/07/2025, therefore, he submits that the present applicant is also entitled to be released on anticipatory bail on the ground of parity. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel, appearing for the non - applicant/State, opposes the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the materials available on record. 6. Considering the facts & circumstances of the case, submission of learned counsel for the parties, materials available on record, considering the fact that co-accused Ishwar Sahu has preferred anticipatory bail application bearing MCRCA No.1010/2025 which was allowed by this court on 11/07/2025, therefore, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the present applicant. 7. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in the event of arrest of the applicant – Yashwant Dhankar on executing a personal bond and one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting Officer, he shall be released on bail on the following conditions:- (a) The applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such fact to the Court. (b) The applicant shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial. (c) The applicant shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to him by the said Court till disposal of the trial. 4 (d) The applicant and the surety shall submit a copy of their adhaar card along with a coloured postcard full size photo having printed the adhaar number on it, which shall be verified by the trial Court. (e) The applicant shall not involve himself in any offence of similar nature in future. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Vaishali