1 CGHC010257452026 2026:CGHC:29667 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1095 of 2026 Chhannuram Sahu S/o Bhuwanram Sahu Aged About 35 Years R/o Village Devpura, Police Station And Tehsil Gandai, District Khairagarh, Chhuikhadan, Dandai C.G. ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station Rengakhar, District Kabirdham C.G. ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Shri Ajit Singh, Advocate. For Non-Applicant : Shri Jitendra Shrivastava, GA. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 14/07/2026 1. The applicant has preferred this application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’), for grant of anticipatory bail, apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.14/2026, registered at Police Station Rengakhar, District Kabirdham (C.G.) for alleged commission of offence KRISHNA KUMAR BARVE Digitally signed by KRISHNA KUMAR BARVE Date: 2026.07.15 20:08:29 +0530 2 punishable under Sections 316 (5), 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. As per the case of the prosecution, a written complaint was lodged regarding shortage of 2386.52 quintals of paddy and 8554 gunny bags at Paddy Procurement Centre, Bamhni. On the directions of the Collector, an inquiry was conducted by the concerned officials on 12.06.2026, during which relevant records such as purchase register, weighment sheets and online reports were examined. During verification, irregularities were found and it was alleged that the Applicant/accused, along with other officials, caused a wrongful loss of about Rs.77,26,005.01/- to the Government. Based on the said allegations, offences have been registered against the present Applicant. Hence, this bail application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the present case. He further submits that the applicant was not posted at the concerned procurement centre at the relevant time of inspection and, therefore, he was neither responsible for handling the computer system nor for any procurement, storage, transportation etc. It is submitted that any shortage in the weight arises due to drying of paddy and the same cannot be attributed to the procurement centre officials. According to the prosecution, the alleged shortage of 2,386.52 quintals was detected only after the paddy had been transported to the rice mill and weighed there. No 3 weighment was done at the time of lifting the gunny bags from the procurement centre. Therefore, it may be possible that the alleged shortage, if any, occurred during transportation or thereafter. The applicant was working as Data Entry Operator, whose duties were confined to entering the details of farmers, tokens and the quantity of paddy procured in the online system. There is no allegation or evidence to suggest that the applicant manipulated, altered or tampered with any data or records. Hence he prays to enlarge the applicant on anticipatory bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail and submits that the anticipatory bail application of co-accused has already been rejected by this Court vide order dated 13.7.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1060/2026. Therefore, the anticipatory bail application of the present applicant deserves to be rejected. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the submissions of learned counsel for the parties and further considering the allegations levelled against the applicant and the fact that the anticipatory bail application of co- accused has already been rejected by this Court vide order dated 13.7.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1060/2026, I am not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant. 4 7. Accordingly, the anticipatory bail application of the applicant - Chhannuram Sahu, involved in Crime No.14/2026, registered at Police Station Rengakhar, District Kabirdham (C.G.) for alleged commission of offence punishable under Sections 316 (5), 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, is rejected. Sd/- Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Barve