1 2026:CGHC:24455 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 853 of 2026 Ayush Agrawal S/o Pramod Agrawal Aged About 28 Years R/o Jail Para Thana And District Raigarh Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through- Police Station Basna District Mahasamund Chhattisgarh. ... Respondent For Applicant : Mr. Sbyasachi Bhaduri, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Ms. Vaishali Mahilong, Dy. G.A. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 17.06.2026 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.84/2026 registered at Police Station – Basna District Mahasamund (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 316(4), 317(2), 318(4), 336(2), 338, 340 & 3(5) of the BNS,2023. VAIBHAV SINGH Digitally signed by VAIBHAV SINGH Date: 2026.06.18 12:00:23 +0530 2 2. The prosecution story in brief is that on 25.02.2026, the Officer in Charge, Police Station Basna, acting on confidential information, intercepted two trucks bearing Nos. CG-04-JC-4585 and CG-07-AV- 5290 near Basna Krishi Upaj Mandi. Upon inquiry, drivers Sonulal Mongre and Rameshwar Manikpuri produced Tax Invoices Nos. JBI/745 and JBI/744, respectively, both dated 24.02.2026, purportedly issued by M/s Jai Bhole Ispat, Raigarh, in favour of M/s Shri Bajrang Bali Enterprises, Raipur, covering 68.398 metric tons of sponge iron worth approximately Rs. 21,09,403/-. On the allegation that the drivers did not produce weighment slips and that one invoice allegedly lacked the E-way Bill number in the body of the document, a suspicion of theft arose, and the FIR was registered on 26.02.2026. The FIR names no person other than the two drivers and Ranjit Singh. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He further submits that the applicant is entitled to the grant of anticipatory bail on the ground of parity as all co-accused having a direct and proximate nexus with the alleged offence have already been granted bail, anticipatory bail, or interim protection by the competent Courts. The named accused Sonulal Mongre, Rameshwar Manikpuri and Ranjit Singh were granted regular bail by the learned 2nd Additional Sessions Judge, Saraipali. The Managing Partner of M/s Jai Bhole Ispat, Tarak Ghosh, against whom the prosecution attributes a far more direct and substantial role, was granted regular bail by this Hon'ble Court in MCRC No. 3228 of 2026. Other partners of the firm, namely Ashok Kumar Gupta and Mohammad Shahajada, were granted interim protection from arrest by the Hon'ble Division Bench in CRMP No. 986 3 of 2026. Likewise, co-accused Abdul Salim, Najim Ali, Amit Kumar Agrawal, Amit Sharma and Ankit Sharma have also been granted bail or anticipatory bail by the competent Courts. The present applicant was not named in the FIR, has no connection whatsoever with M/s Jai Bhole Ispat, has not derived any alleged benefit from the transactions in question, and no direct or proximate role has been attributed to him in the commission of the alleged offence. In these circumstances, when persons against whom stronger and more specific allegations have been levelled have already been granted protection, the applicant stands on a better footing and is entitled to the same relief on the principle of parity. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposed the anticipatory bail application of the applicant. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties, the nature of the allegations, and the material available on record, and further taking into consideration that similarly situated co-accused, namely Abdul Salim and Amit Kumar Agrawal, have already been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in MCRCA No. 619 of 2026 and MCRCA No. 706 of 2026 vide orders dated 24.04.2026 and 08.05.2026 respectively, this Court is of the view that the present applicant is entitled to the benefit of parity. Accordingly, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, this Court deems it appropriate to extend the benefit of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 4 7. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in the event of arrest of the applicant – Ayush Agrawal, on executing a personal bond and one local surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting Officer, he shall be released on bail on the following conditions:- (a) he 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) he shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial. (c) he shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to him by the said Court till disposal of the trial. (d) the applicant and the surety shall submit a copy of his 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) She shall not involve himself in any offence of similar nature in future. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE vaibhav