1 CGHC010208332026 2026:CGHC:29126 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 4925 of 2026 Raju Pal S/o Sevak Ram Pal Aged About 46 Years R/o House No. 473/a, Near Durga Mandir, Kohka, Chowki Smriti Nagar, Thana Supela, District- Durg (C.G.) --- Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through - The Station House Officer, Police Station- Supela, District- Durg (C.G.) --- Respondent(s) For Applicant(s) : Mr. Raghvendra Pradhan, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Mr. Vinod Tekam, G.A. MCRC No. 5001 of 2026 Soniya Goswami W/o Shankar Goswami Aged About 29 Years R/o - Jevra Sirsa, District- Durg Chhattisgarh. ---Applicant(s) Versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through- Police Station Supela Chowki Smriti Nagar District -Durg Chhattisgahr. --- Respondent(s) 2 For Applicant(s) : Mr. T.K. Jha, Sr. Adv. Assisted by Mr. Tapan Kumar Chandra, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Ms. Palak Dwivedi, Panel Lawyer Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 10.07.2026 1. The applicants have preferred the first Bail Applications under Section 483 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for grant of regular bail, as they have been arrested in connection with Crime No.457/2026, registered at Police Station- Supela Chowki, Smriti Nagar, District- Durg (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the BNS. 2. That, as per the prosecution story, the deceased, Mohan Ramteke, committed suicide on 28.03.2026 at his residence situated at EWS No. 301/302, Housing Board, Kohka Chowki, Smriti Nagar, Police Station Supela, District Durg (C.G.). On the complaint lodged by Srijan Kanhaiya Pandey, a resident of the same locality, the police registered the present FIR against the accused persons, namely Raju Pal and Sonia Goswami, on the basis of a suicide note recovered from the deceased. As per the suicide note, the deceased stated that both the accused persons were involved in an illegal satta business and that when he sought financial assistance from the present applicant for the surgery of his wife, the applicant Raju Pal instead provided him with a satta number belonging to applicant Sonia Goswami. 3 Thereafter, the deceased allegedly incurred losses and both the applicants started demanding Rs.1,00,000/- from him, repeatedly pressurizing and blackmailing him for repayment. The deceased further alleged that the present applicant Raju Pal threatened him by claiming that the police was in his pocket and that he had influence over several politicians, due to which he felt helpless and decided to end his life. Thus, the prosecution alleges that the continuous harassment, intimidation and repeated monetary demands made by both the accused persons abetted the deceased to commit suicide and hence registered the present case. 3. Learned counsel for the applicants jointly submit that the applicants are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the present case solely on the basis of suspicion. It is contended that there is no substantive material against either of the applicants except the alleged suicide note and the evidence collected during investigation is insufficient to prima facie establish the ingredients of the alleged offences. It is argued that the deceased had merely borrowed money from the applicants and demanding repayment of a loan cannot, by itself, amount to instigation or abetment of suicide. It is further submitted that applicant Raju Pal had only advanced Rs.1,00,000/- to the deceased for the treatment of his wife and never harassed him, while no prosecution witness has alleged any act of harassment on the part of the applicants. It is also submitted that applicant Soniya Goswami is the sole 4 caretaker and breadwinner for her minor children, whereas applicant Raju Pal, being a widower, is solely responsible for the upbringing of his two minor children who are facing severe financial and emotional hardship due to his incarceration. It is lastly submitted that the applicant- Soniya Goswami is in custody since 06.04.2026 and applicant- Raju Pal is in custody since 30.03.2026, so far as the criminal antecedents of the applicants are concerned, applicant- Soniya Goswami has two criminal antecedents, out of which one is under the IPC and another is under the Gambling Act and further, applicant- Raju Pal has only one previous antecedent in which he has already been acquitted. They lastly submit that the investigation is completed, the charge- sheet has already been filed, the trial is likely to take considerable time to conclude, hence they pray for grant of bail to the applicants. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State/non-applicant opposes the bail application of the applicants and submits that in the suicidal note of the victim, it is clearly mentioned that the applicants were pressurizing the victim and demanding money from him on account of which, he committed suicide. Furthermore, applicant- Soniya Goswami has two criminal antecedents of the year 2024 and 2026 under the BNS and Gambling Act pending against her and further, applicant- Raju Pal has only one previous antecedent registered against him. Therefore, the applicants are not entitled for grant of bail. 5 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, particularly the fact that the prosecution case is primarily based upon the suicide note left by the deceased and so far as the criminal antecedents of the applicants are concerned, applicant- Soniya Goswami has two criminal antecedents, out of which one is under the IPC and another is under the Gambling Act and further, applicant- Raju Pal has only one previous antecedent in which he has already been acquitted. Furthermore, the investigation has already been completed and the charge-sheet has been filed, the applicants are in judicial custody since 30.03.2026 and 06.04.2026 respectively and conclusion of the trial is likely to take some time, as such, the Court is of the opinion that the applicants are entitled to be enlarged on bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail applications of the applicants are allowed. 8. Let applicants, Raju Pal and Soniya Goswami, involved in Crime No.457/2026, registered at Police Station- Supela Chowki, Smriti Nagar, District- Durg (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 108 and 3(5) of the BNS, be released on bail on their furnishing a personal bond with two sureties (each) in the like sum to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicants shall file an undertaking to the 6 effect that they shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law. (ii) The applicants shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through their counsel. In case of their absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against them under Section 269 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iii) In case, the applicants misuse the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure their presence proclamation under Section 84 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is issued and the applicants fail to appear before the court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against them, in accordance with law, under Section Section 209 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iv) The applicants shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 351 of BNSS. 7 If in the opinion of the trial court absence of the applicants are deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against them in accordance with law. 9. Office is directed to provide a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Akhil