1 2026:CGHC:26895 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 981 of 2026 Manoj Joshi @ Anku Joshi S/o Late Shri Chandu Joshi Aged About 27 Years R/o Ward No. 8 Sarovar Marg And Tehsil Manendragarh, P.S. Manendragarh, Distt. Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (C.G.) ...Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through - Officer-In-Charge, Police Station Chirmiri, District Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (C.G.) ...Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Shivam Agrawal, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Ms. Nupur Trivedi, Panel lawyer. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 01.07.2026 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.184/2025 registered at Police Station - Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 331(4), 305(a) & 3(5) of the BNS. VAIBHAV SINGH Digitally signed by VAIBHAV SINGH Date: 2026.07.02 12:10:23 +0530 2 2. The prosecution story, in brief, is that the complainant, Ravikant Ghritlahre, lodged an FIR stating that unknown persons had committed criminal house-trespass and stolen ornaments and documents from his house. After investigation, a charge-sheet was filed under Sections 331(4), 305(a), and 3(5) of the BNS against the main accused, Sonu Sahu, and the applicant. Upon completion of the trial, the learned Trial Court acquitted the main accused, Sonu Sahu, vide judgment dated 06.02.2024. Since the applicant was absconding during the course of investigation, a permanent arrest warrant was issued against him. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is contended that the principal accused, Sonu Sahu, has already been acquitted by the learned Trial Court vide judgment dated 06.02.2026 and, therefore, there is no likelihood of conviction of the present applicant in connection with Crime No. 184/2025. It is further submitted that the applicant was never absconding and had no knowledge of the registration of the said crime, due to which he could not participate in the trial along with the principal accused. Learned counsel submits that the applicant has been implicated solely on the basis of the memorandum statement of the co-accused, which is a weak piece of evidence in law, and no stolen property or any other incriminating article has been recovered from his possession. It is further contended that the applicant had no criminal antecedents prior to the registration of the present crime and that he has subsequently been falsely implicated in other similar cases only to clear the pendency of registered FIRs. Learned counsel also submits that the 3 investigating agency has not adhered to the mandatory provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. It is lastly submitted that the applicant is a permanent resident of the address mentioned in the cause title, where his movable and immovable properties are situated, there is no likelihood of his absconding or tampering with the prosecution evidence or influencing the witnesses, and he undertakes to furnish adequate surety and abide by all such terms and conditions as may be imposed by this Hon'ble Court. Accordingly, it is prayed that the applicant be granted the benpefit of anticipatory bail. 4. Learned State Counsel opposed the bail application and submitted that there is sufficient material available in the case diary prima facie indicating the involvement of the present applicant in the commission of the alleged offence. It was further submitted that the present applicant has two previous criminal antecedents. Therefore, considering the nature and gravity of the offence and the applicant's criminal antecedents, the bail application deserves to be rejected. 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 and gravity of the allegations, and the material available in the case diary, this Court finds that the complainant, Sharad Kumar Dubey, lodged a written report stating that after locking his house on 31.07.2025 and leaving for Bilaspur with his family, he returned on 09.08.2025 upon being informed by his maid that the door lock of the house had been broken. On inspection, he found that the lock of the cupboard inside the house 4 had also been broken and several valuable articles, including gold ornaments, a camera and cash amounting to Rs.50,000/-, had been stolen by unknown persons. On the basis of the said report, the crime was registered and investigation was set in motion. During the course of investigation, the co-accused, Sonu Sahu, in his memorandum statement, admitted his involvement in the commission of the offence and disclosed that the present applicant had actively participated in the burglary along with him. The case diary further reveals that the present applicant has two previous criminal antecedents, which prima facie indicate his involvement in criminal activities. Thus, at this stage, there is sufficient material in the case diary prima facie indicating the involvement of the present applicant in the commission of the alleged offence. Having regard to the nature and gravity of the offence, the material collected during investigation, and the previous criminal antecedents of the applicant, this Court is not inclined to extend the benefit of bail to him. Accordingly, the bail application filed by the applicant deserves to be and is hereby rejected. 7. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application of the applicant – Manoj Joshi @ Anku Joshi, involved in Crime No.184/2025 registered at Police Station - Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 331(4), 305(a) & 3(5) of the BNS, is rejected. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE vaibhav