1 2026:CGHC:23715 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR M.Cr.C No.3955 of 2026 Sohan Das Mahant S/o Sarju Das Mahant Aged About 39 Years R/o Village Kudumkela, Police Station And Tehsil Gharghoda, District Raigarh (C.G.) ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Police Station Gharghoda, District Raigarh (C.G.) ... Non-applicant For Applicant :Mr. Dhirendra Prasad Mishra, Advocate. Non-Applicant/State :Mr. Dharmesh Shrivastava, Dy. A.G. Hon'ble Shri Justice Radhakishan Agrawal Order on Board 15.06.2026 1. This is the 1st bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Digitally signed by SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Date: 2026.06.16 11:04:55 +0530 2 the Applicant, who has been arrested in connection with Crime No.336/2023 registered at Police Station – Gharghoda, District Raigarh for the offence under Sections 302 and 201 IPC. 2. According to the prosecution, on 22.06.2023 at about 8:45 PM, the Applicant allegedly caused the death of Kunti Manjhi in village Baraunakunda, Jharia Tikra by assaulting her with a stick and strangulating her with a towel. It is further alleged that in order to destroy evidence and screen himself from legal punishment, the Applicant set the dead body on fire and concealed the half-burnt body in a ring well. Based on the above allegations, the aforesaid offences have been registered against the present Applicant. Hence, this application. 3. Learned Counsel for the Applicant submits that the Applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is further submitted that there is no eye-witness to the incident and the Applicant is in jail since 13.08.2023, the trial is likely to take quite some time for its conclusion, therefore, he may be enlarged on bail. 4. Per contra, learned State Counsel opposed the bail application. 5. Having considered the submissions made by learned Counsel for the parties and the facts and circumstances of the case, further considering the nature and gravity of offence, without further 3 commenting anything on the merits of the case, I am not inclined to release the Applicant on regular bail. 6. Accordingly, the bail application is rejected. Sd/- (Radhakishan Agrawal) Judge Priya