1 CGHC010301332026 2026:CGHC:34520 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 7190 of 2026 Ranjit Sahu S/o Niranjan Sahu Aged About 24 Years R/o Village - Tora, Police Station - Bargarh, District- Bargarh (Odisha) ... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station Sarangarh, District - Sarangarh- Bilaigarh, (C.G.) ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Dhirendra Prasad Mishra, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Ms. Ritika Verma, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 06.08.2026 1. This is the second bail application 8led under Section 483 of the BNSS for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 437/2025 registered at Police Station – Sarangarh, District – Sarangarh – Bilaigarh (C.G.), for the o<ence punishable under Section 20(b) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. 2. The earlier bail application of the applicant being MCRC No. 1262 of 2026 was rejected by this Court vide order dated 04.02.2026 on merits. 3. As per the prosecution story, on 28.08.2025, during vehicle checking conducted by the Station House O=cer, Police Station Sarangarh, a ABHISHEK SHRIVAS Digitally signed by ABHISHEK SHRIVAS Date: 2026.08.07 16:24:33 +0530 2 black four-wheeler and a container truck failed to stop despite being signalled by the police. Both vehicles were subsequently intercepted near MRM Rice Mill on Nandeli Bypass Road. It is alleged that, apart from the present applicant, Narayan Prasad Sahu and Mrs. Sanjana Sahu were travelling in the black Mahindra four-wheeler bearing Registration No. OD-02 AE-1444, while the container bearing Registration No. HR-46E- 2249 was being driven by Devendra Sharma. Upon searching the container, the police allegedly recovered 29 packets of ganja, having a total weight of 91 kilograms and 320 grams. The prosecution alleges that the present applicant was piloting the container vehicle from which the aforesaid contraband was recovered. 4. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that this is the second bail application 8led by the applicant. The 8rst bail application was rejected by this Court on merits vide order dated 04.02.2026. He further submits that the co-accused, namely, Shyam Babu Choudhary, has already been enlarged on bail by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in SLP (Crl.) No. 9672/2026 vide order dated 27.07.2026. It is submitted that the case of the present applicant is identical to that of the said co-accused and, therefore, on the ground of parity, the applicant is also entitled to be enlarged on regular bail. 5. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application and submits that though the co-accused, namely, Shyam Babu Choudhary, has been enlarged on bail by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in SLP (Crl.) No. 9672 of 2026 vide order dated 27.07.2026, the said order does not entitle the present applicant to claim bail on the ground of parity. She submits that the present applicant has 01 previous criminal antecedent of the year 2021 under the NDPS Act. She further submits that 91.320 kgs of Ganja, which is much above the commercial quantity, 3 has been seized from the vehicle behind which the present applicant was allegedly piloting. Therefore, the principle of parity is not applicable to the present applicant, and accordingly, it is prayed that the bail application be dismissed. 6. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 7. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the o<ence, particularly the fact that 91.320 kgs of Ganja, which is much above the commercial quantity, has been seized from the vehicle behind which the present applicant was allegedly piloting, and further the fact that the applicant has one criminal antecedent under the NDPS Act of the year 2021, this Court is of the opinion that the applicant is not entitled to the grant of bail. So far as the plea of parity with the co- accused, Shyam Babu Choudhary, is concerned, though the said co- accused has been enlarged on bail by the Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated 27.07.2026 passed in Criminal Appeal No. 3437 of 2026 arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 9672 of 2026, a perusal of the said order shows that it does not record the criminal antecedents of the said co - accused. 8. Accordingly, the second bail application of the applicant – Ranjit Sahu, 8led under Section 483 of the BNSS involved in Crime No. 437/2025 registered at Police Station – Sarangarh, District – Sarangarh – Bilaigarh (C.G.), for the o<ence punishable under Section 20(b) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, is rejected. 9. O=ce is directed to send a certi8ed copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. - Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Abhishek