1 MCRCA No. 1139 of 2026 CGHC010269632026 2026:CGHC:30676 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1139 of 2026 1 - Mattulal Jhariya S/o- Ujim Jhariya, Aged About 47 Years Occupation- Salesman Adim Jati Seva Sahkari Samiti Maryadit, Samnapur, Registration No. 206, Branch- Rengakhar Kala, R/o- Village And Post -Chilfi, Police Station- Chilfi, Tahsil- Bodla, District- Kabirdham (C.G.). --- Applicant versus 1 - State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station- Rengakhar, District- Kabirdham (C.G.). --- Respondent For Applicant :- Mr. Chandrikaditya Pandey, Advocate. For State :- Mr. Soumya Rai, Dy. Government Advcoate. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order On Board 20.07.2026 1. The applicant has preferred this application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 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 ANKIT KUMAR SINGH Digitally signed by ANKIT KUMAR SINGH 2 MCRCA No. 1139 of 2026 commission of offence punishable under Sections 316(5), 318(4), 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. 2. As per the prosecution case, in brief is, that on 18.06.2026, the complainant Amit Chandel preferred a written complaint before the Station House Officer, Police Station Rengakhar alleging inter alia that 2386.52 quintols of paddy and 8554 new gunny bags were found short at the Bahni Procurement Center. On examination of the complaint application and in compliance with the directions issued by the collector on 25.05.2026, a joint team comprising the 2 Food Inspectors, Nodal Officer District Cooperative Central Bank and cooperative Inspecor conducted an inspection of the Paddy Procurement Centre and the inspection report was prepared. It is alleged as per report that during the inspection it was found that the present applicant and the then computer operator namely Chhannuram Sahu has caused, through the misappropriation of paddy and old/empty gunny bags at the Procurement Centre, a total financial loss of Rs. 73,98,212.00 to the Government. No written information regarding the shortage found during physical verification was ever provided to the competent authorities by the Procurement In-charge. On the basis of the aforesaid written complaint, the police of Police Station Rengakhar registered 3 MCRCA No. 1139 of 2026 the first information report bearing Crime No. 14/2026 for the offence punishable under Section 316(5), 318(4), 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 on 18.06.2026 against the present applicant and Computer Operator namely Chhannuram Sahu and investigation was initiated. Charge- sheet has not been filed and matter is being investigated by the police of Police Station - Rengakhar, District - Kabirdham (C.G.). Hence this application. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant would submit that the applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the crime in question. It is contended that the alleged shortage occurred due to non-lifting of paddy within the stipulated period and natural weight loss due to drying of paddy, for which the applicant cannot be held to be responsible. He would further submit that as per the agreement and procurement policy, the dispute regarding shortage is subject to recovery proceedings and arbitration and no material has been produced to show that the applicant derived any personal benefit or dishonestly misappropriated any Government property and, therefore, he prays for grant of anticipatory bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel would oppose the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail and submit that the 4 MCRCA No. 1139 of 2026 anticipatory bail of the co-accused Anil Chandrakar has already been rejected by this Court vide order dated 13.07.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1060 of 2026 and, therefore, the present anticipatory bail application of the applicant is liable to be rejected. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record. 6. Considering the submission advanced by learned counsel for the parties, nature of allegations, the fact that the impugned FIR has been lodged against the applicant and co-accused after a detailed enquiry cojnducted by a Committee constituted by the Collector, wherein shortage of paddy causing an alleged major financial loss to the Government, further considering the fact that the anticipatory bail of the co-accused Anil Chandrakar has already been rejected by this Court vide order dated 13.07.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1060 of 2026 and also considering that the investigation is still going on and for fair and effective investigation custodial interrogation is required, this Court is not inclined to grant the benefit of anticipatory bail to the applicant herein. 5 MCRCA No. 1139 of 2026 7. Accordingly, the Anticipatory Bail application of the applicant – Mattulal Jhariya, filed under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 in connection with 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), 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita., is rejected. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Ankit