Page No.# 1/3 GAHC010066332026 2026:GAU-AS:5170 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : AB/695/2026 PURUSHUTTAM PEGU SON OF SRI DAMBARUDHAR PEGU, R/O- NAMKIR, P.O.- DEKAPAM, P.S.- SIMEN CHAPORI, DIST.- DHEMAJI,, ASSAM VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY PP, ASSAM. Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. D GOGOI, MR. D CHUTIA Advocate for the Respondent : PP, ASSAM, BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PRANJAL DAS ORDER Date : 07-04-2026 Heard Mr. S. Das, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. K. Baishya, learned Addl. P.P appearing for the State. The accused/petitioner, namely Purushuttam Pegu is invoking section 482 of BNSS, 2023 praying for granting of anticipatory bail in connection with Page No.# 2/3 Biswanath (Chariali) P.S Case No. 19/2026 dated 20.01.2026 u/s 316(4)/318(4) of BNS, 2023. An FIR was lodged against the petitioner herein on behalf of the Chief Manager, State Bank of India, Biswanath Chariali Branch with the allegation that during a routine verification on 12.11.2025 a decrease in bank funds was found in one of the accounts maintained in the Branch whereupon the balance of Rs. 45,00,607/- was found reduced to a little above Rs. 6,31,249.32/-. Later during the verification, it was found that the money was transferred at the behest of the present petitioner. It was also found that much of the funds were transferred to an account in the Northeast Finance in the name of the petitioner. Subsequently, during further verification a cash of Rs. 17,11,500/- was found which was acknowledged and the amount of Rs. 17,00,000/- was returned back by the said petitioner. The learned counsel for the petitioner seeks interim bail submitting that he has already been subjected to disciplinary proceedings and the subsequent amount has been returned. However, the learned Addl. P.P objects to the grant of the interim bail. CD has been received. The learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that considering the nature of the penal provision, the petitioner has not given any notice so far. He submits that he is ready to render his co-operation to the investigation and that he may be given an opportunity with some interim protection, at this stage, to record his statement. The learned counsel for the petitioner further submits the petitioner denied any wrong doing as alleged. On the basis of the Case Diary, the learned Addl. P.P submits that the I.O Page No.# 3/3 objects to the prayer for granting anticipatory bail and submits that this could prejudice the investigation. Accordingly, he prays for dismissal of the bail application. I have perused the bail petition as well as the relevant portions of the Case Diary. The I.O has strongly contended about the incriminating materials against the petitioner revealed by the investigation which lends support of the allegations in the FIR. From the statements of witnesses, it is revealed prima facie that the petitioner used the mobile phones of some staff of the Bank without telling them the reason and later they found large amounts of money being deposited in their accounts and subsequently, transferred to other accounts. When this was brought to the notice of the Chief Manager, verification was done and discrepancies of large amounts of money in the accounts of the Bank branch were found. Apart from lending support to the allegations in the FIR, investigation has indicated planned siphoning of Bank money into the accounts of other people and if the materials are to be believed, these illegal activities have happened at the behest of the petitioner as the prime culprit. Investigation is going on actively. In the given facts and circumstances of the case, granting anticipatory bail, at this stage would put fetters on the investigation. Therefore, the anticipatory bail petition stands rejected, at this stage. Return back the CD. JUDGE Comparing Assistant