1 CGHC010277302026 2026:CGHC:30960 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR M.Cr.C(A) No.1156 of 2026 Aruna Sahu S/o Narottam Sahu Aged About 43 Years (Mentioned As Arun Sahu In The Bail Rejection Order Sheet) (Wrongly Mentioned As Daughter Of Narottam Sahu) R/o Village Borumunda P.S. Bisimunda P.S. Sonepur District- Subranpur (Odisha) ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer Police Station Basantpur District- Rajnandgaon (C.G.) ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Amit Singh Chauhan, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Ms. Monika Thakur, PL. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order On Board 21.07.2026 1. The Applicant has preferred this anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of Anticipatory Bail, apprehending his SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Digitally signed by SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Date: 2026.07.22 11:28:22 +0530 2 arrest in connection with Crime No.148/2026, registered at Police Station – Basantpur, District Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for alleged commission of offence punishable under Section 20(b) of NDPS Act. 2. As per the prosecution case, on 03.04.2026, the police of Police Station Basantpur received a secret information regarding transportation of contraband ganja. Acting upon the said information, the police conducted a raid near Muddakunj, G.E. Road, Rajnandgaon and apprehended three persons namely Shivkumar Rai, Shalik Ram and Smt. Pushpa Burman. Upon their search, a total of 9.414 kilograms of ganja was allegedly recovered from their possession. The co- accused were arrested and their memorandum statements were recorded, wherein they allegedly disclosed that they had procured the said contraband from the present Applicant, a resident of the State of Odisha, for the purpose of sale. On the basis of the said memorandum statements, the police proceeded to arrest the present Applicant on 16.05.2026, however, he could not be apprehended as he was not present at his residence. On the basis of the said complaint, offences mentioned above, were registered against the Applicant and other accused persons. Hence, this application. 3 3. Learned Counsel for the Applicant submits that the Applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is submitted that the Applicant has never been involved in the sale or purchase of ganja, although the co- accused namely Shivkumar Rai, Shalik Ram and Smt. Pushpa Burman, in their memorandum statements, disclosed that they had purchased the contraband from one Arun Sahu of the State of Odisha, the present Applicant's name is Aruna Sahu, as reflected in his Aadhaar Card. It is lastly submitted that the trial is likely to take quite considerable time for its conclusion, therefore, the present Applicant may be granted the benefit of anticipatory bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the application. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record. 6. Considering the submissions advanced by learned Counsel for the parties, the material available in the case diary, the nature and gravity of the allegations, the alleged quantity of contraband, investigation is still going on and without further commenting anything on the merits of the case, this Court is 4 not inclined to grant the benefit of anticipatory bail to the Applicant. 7. Accordingly, the Anticipatory Bail application of the Applicant – Aruna Sahu, filed under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023 in connection with Crime No.148/2026, registered at Police Station – Basantpur, District Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for alleged commission of offence punishable under Section 20(b) of NDPS Act, is hereby rejected. 8. Office is directed to provide a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Priya