1 2026:CGHC:22672 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 4409 of 2026 Neeraj Verma @ Monu S/o Dinesh Verma Aged About 20 Years R/o Village Pandhi Verma Mohalla Thana- Seepat Dist- Bilaspur (C.G.) ... Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through- P.S. Masturi District- Bilaspur (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Applicant(s) : Mr. Rajendra Kumar Patel, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Ms. Samiksha Gupta, Panel Lawyer Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 13.05.2026 1. This is the second bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No.429/2025 registered at Police Station- Masturi District- Bilaspur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 20(B), 29 of the NDPS Act. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 01.07.2025, acting on RAHUL DEWANGAN Digitally signed by RAHUL DEWANGAN 2 secret information, the police of P.S. conducted a raid near Jairam Nagar Road, Eramsahi Raliya turn, and seized 19 packets of cannabis (Ganja) weighing 20.100 kg from a Wagon R car bearing registration no. CG-10-BQ-9133, allegedly in possession of the applicant, thereby the applicant has been arrested, hence the bail applications. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the present is the second bail application filed before this Court, the first bail application being MCRC No. 8771/2025 having been dismissed on merits vide order dated 11.11.2025. It is submitted that the present bail application has been filed on the ground that no contraband substance has been recovered or seized from the possession of the applicant and he has been implicated merely on suspicion. It is further submitted that similarly placed co-accused persons, namely Vinod Verma alias Vinod Kumar Adholia and Adeep Kumar Verma alias Tengna, have already been granted regular bail by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and by the concerned Hon’ble Court respectively, vide orders dated 01.04.2026 and 13.04.2026. It is also submitted that the applicant is in judicial custody since 01.07.2025, the charge-sheet has already been filed, and conclusion of the trial is likely to take considerable time. On these grounds, it is prayed that the applicant be enlarged on regular bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the first bail application of the 3 applicant was rejected on merits by this Court vide order dated 11.11.2025 after taking into consideration the fact that the contraband article was seized from the exclusive possession of the applicant and the quantity seized was above commercial quantity. It is further submitted that so far as the co-accused, namely Vinod Verma alias Vinod Kumar Adholia and Adeep Kumar Verma alias Tengna, whose bail applications have been allowed, are concerned, the case of the present applicant is distinguishable, as no contraband was seized from their exclusive possession, whereas the seized contraband in the present case was recovered from the exclusive possession of the applicant. It is also submitted that the applicant has two criminal antecedents registered against him under the IPC. Therefore, it is prayed that the present bail application, being devoid of merit, is liable to be rejected. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties and particularly taking into account that the earlier bail application of the present applicant was rejected on merits by this Court vide order dated 11.11.2025, and there appears to be no substantial change in circumstances. The contraband seized from the exclusive possession of the applicant is above commercial quantity, thereby attracting the rigours of Section 37 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Further, 4 the case of the present applicant is distinguishable from that of co- accused Vinod Verma alias Vinod Kumar Adholia and Adeep Kumar Verma alias Tengna, who have been granted bail, as no contraband was recovered from their exclusive possession. Considering also the criminal antecedents of the applicant, this Court does not find any ground to enlarge the applicant on bail. 7. Accordingly, the second bail application of the applicant- Neeraj Verma @ Monu, involved in Crime No.429/2025 registered at Police Station- Masturi District- Bilaspur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 20(B), 29 of the NDPS Act, is rejected at this stage. 8. Office is directed to provide a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance. - Sd/- Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE Rahul Dewangan