1 2026:CGHC:25172 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 4800 of 2026 Vijay @ Vija Mandavi S/o Masa Ram Mandavi Aged About 34 Years R/o Village - Belar, Post-Belar, Police Station - Belar, Tehsil And District - Jagdalpur (C.G.) ... Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Of Police Station - Lohandiguda, District - Jagdalpur Bastar (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Applicant(s) : Mr. Ashutosh Shukla, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Ms. Monika Thakur, P.L. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 19.06.2026 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 applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 44/2025 registered at Police Station – Lohandiguda, District - Jagdalpur Bastar (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Section AKHILESH KUMAR DEWANGAN Digitally signed by AKHILESH KUMAR DEWANGAN 2 20(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. 2. The case of the prosecution is that on the basis of secret information received by the police, a vehicle bearing registration No. CG-05-F-0703, allegedly belonging to co-accused Rajesh @ Rajeshwar Yadav, was intercepted and searched. During the search, two white plastic sacks containing six packets wrapped with adhesive tape and kept inside a black backpack were recovered. The recovered contraband was found to be 51.520 kilograms of ganja, along with one Jio Android mobile phone bearing SIM No. 7974825058. The seized quantity of ganja was found to be commercial in nature. During investigation, co- accused Rajesh @ Rajeshwar Yadav, in his memorandum statement, allegedly disclosed that he and the present applicant, Vijay @ Vija Mandavi, were jointly engaged in the purchase and sale of ganja. On the basis of the said memorandum statement and other material collected during investigation, the present applicant was implicated in the offence punishable under Section 20(b)(ii)(C) of the NDPS Act. Hence, the bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He was neither involved in nor present at the place of occurrence, and has been arrested merely on suspicion without any cogent or reliable evidence connecting him with the alleged offence. He 3 further submits that the applicant has no role in the alleged incident and has been falsely booked for the offence punishable under Section 20(b) of the N.D.P.S. Act. The allegations levelled by the prosecution are false and baseless. The applicant is about 40 years of age and is the sole breadwinner of his family. He also submits that the applicant is in judicial custody since 02.01.2026. The trial is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion and his further detention would serve no useful purpose. Therefore, considering the period of incarceration and the facts and circumstances of the case, the applicant may kindly be enlarged on bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application of the present applicant and submits that charge-sheet has been filed in the present case. She further submits that co- accused, Rajesh @ Rajeshwar Yadav, from whose vehicle 51.520 kilograms of ganja was allegedly recovered, which is much above the commercial quantity as prescribed under the NDPS Act has disclosed in his memorandum statement that he and the applicant were jointly engaged in the purchase and sale of ganja. On the basis of the said memorandum statement and other material collected during investigation, 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. From the perusal of the case diary, it transpires that 51.520 4 kilograms of ganja was recovered from the vehicle of the co- accused, which is much above the commercial quantity prescribed under the NDPS Act, has has disclosed in his memorandum statement that he and the applicant were jointly engaged in the purchase and sale of ganja. The material collected during investigation, including the memorandum statement of the co- accused and other incriminating circumstances, prima facie indicates the involvement of the present applicant in the illicit trafficking of narcotic substances, which constitutes a serious offence under the NDPS Act. Considering the aforesaid facts, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicant on bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of the applicant – Vijay @ Vija Mandavi, involved in Crime No. 44/2025 registered at Police Station – Lohandiguda, District - Jagdalpur Bastar (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Section 20(B) of the NDPS Act, is rejected. 8. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 9. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance. - Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Akhil