1 2026:CGHC:14112 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 2754 of 2026 1. Johan Bek S/o Ratu Ram Bek Aged About 48 Years Permanent Resident of Village Rupdega, Police Station Lailunga District- Raigarh (C.G.) At Present Resident of Village Khamhar Ukadand Police Station Kapu. District- Raigarh (C.G.) 2. Firish Bek S/o Johan Bek Aged About 29 Years Permanent Resident of Village Rupdega Police Station Lailunga District- Raigarh (C.G.) At Present Resident of Village Khamhar Ukadand Police Station Kapu, District- Raigarh (C.G.) ... Applicants versus State of Chhattisgarh Through- The Station House OfÏcer Police of Police Station Patthalgaon District- Jashpur (C.G.) ... Non-applicant For Applicants : Mr. Shiv Sewak Manjhi, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Dr. Sourabh K. Pande, Dy. Adv. General. Hon’ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 24.03.2026 1. This is the First bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicants who have been arrested in connection with Crime No. 13/2026 registered at Police Station : Patthalgaon, District Jashpur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 140(3), 354 read with Section 3(5) of the ABHISHEK SHRIVAS Digitally signed by ABHISHEK SHRIVAS Date: 2026.03.25 17:42:58 +0530 2 Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 4 of the C.G. Freedom Religion Act, 1968. 2. As per the prosecution story, in brief, the complainant, Ku. Aruna Lakra, appeared at Police Station Patthalgaon on 15.01.2026 and lodged a report stating that in the year 2024, her elder brother, Arvind Lakra, was ill. At that time, on the suggestion of her relative (brother-in-law), Suresh Tirki, on 07.08.2026, the applicant, Pastor Johan Beck, called her and stated that prayers to Lord Jesus should be performed and that they would have to come to Rupdega for a healing prayer. He further stated that by doing so, Arvind Lakra’s health would improve and that worshipping Hindu deities would not cure his illness. Thereafter, Pastor Johan Beck allegedly made repeated calls to the complainant and her younger sister, Alpana Lakra, pressurizing them to convert from the Hindu religion to Christianity. Even after the family members refused, Pastor Johan Beck occasionally visited their house and continued to persuade them to change their religion. It is further alleged that when the applicant failed to succeed in converting them, in the month of August 2025, the pastor’s son, Firris Beck, abducted the complainant’s younger sister, Alpana Lakra, and took her to an unknown place, where she was kept concealed. According to the complainant, whenever any member of their family went to the accused persons’ house to inquire about Alpana, the pastor and his wife abused them and threatened that they would not send Alpana back home and that they could do whatever they wished. The complainant further stated that on 03.01.2026, at about 4:00 PM, while she was returning to her rented house after purchasing vegetables from Patthalgaon town, Pastor Johan Beck met her on the way near Muskan Public School, Patthalgaon, and on the pretext of making her meet her sister, Alpana Lakra, made her sit on his motorcycle and took 3 her to his house at Kapu Khamhar. It is alleged that the applicant did not allow her to leave the house or meet anyone and kept her confined therein. He allegedly pressured her to convert to Christianity and threatened that if she did not do so, God would become angry with her family, as a result of which the family members would fall ill, suffer losses, and no one would remain well. The complainant stated that on 10.01.2026, during the night, she somehow managed to escape and returned home, where she narrated the entire incident to her brother, Arvind Lakra, her sister, Swati, and other relatives in the village, namely Mukesh, Manjeet, and Baliram. On the basis of the complainant’s report, during investigation, the abducted victim, Alpana Lakra, was recovered from the custody of accused Firris Beck from Pune (Maharashtra). On the basis of the said report, a First Information Report bearing Crime No. 13/2026 was registered at Police Station Patthalgaon against the accused persons under Sections 140(3), 354, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968. 3. Learned counsel for the applicants submits that the present applicants are innocent persons and have been falsely implicated in the present case. The prosecution has concocted a false story against the present applicants, who are poor villagers. He also submits that the applicants have neither committed nor participated in any act which may constitute any of the offences mentioned above. Apart from the above, the evidence collected by the prosecution does not disclose any prima facie case sufÏcient to hold the applicants guilty of the aforesaid offences. He also submits that the complainant and the applicants belong to the same community. The applicant No. 2 and the complainant’s sister have been in a love relationship since 2024 and have solemnized their marriage, 4 and are living together as husband and wife in the same house. The family members of the complainant did not approve of the marriage between applicant No. 2 and the complainant’s sister, and for this reason, the complainant has lodged a false report against the applicants. He submits that the present applicants have no criminal antecedents and they are in jail since 24.02.2026, conclusion of the trial may take some time, therefore, he prays for grant of regular bail to the applicants. 4. On the other hand learned State counsel opposes the bail application of the present applicants and submits that the charge-sheet has been submitted before the competent Court in the present case. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the facts and circumstance of the case, nature and gravity of offence and further the fact that the applicants have no criminal antecedents. Also considering the fact that the charge-sheet has already been submitted in the present case before the competent Court and the present applicants have been in jail since 24.02.2026 and the trial is likely to take sometime for its conclusion, therefore, I am of the opinion that the applicants are entitled to be released on bail in this case. 7. Let applicants, Johan Bek and Firish Bek, involved in Crime No. 13/2026 registered at Police Station : Patthalgaon, District Jashpur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 140(3), 354 read with Section 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 4 of the C.G. Freedom Religion Act, 1968, be released on bail on their furnishing a personal bond with two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicants shall file an undertaking to the effect 5 that they shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in 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 sufÏcient cause, the trial court may proceed against them under Section 269 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iii) In case, the applicants misuse the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure their presence, proclamation under Section 84 of BNSS. is issued and the applicants fail 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 sufÏcient 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. OfÏce 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 Abhishek