1 CGHC010308932026 2026:CGHC:36819 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No.1332 of 2026 Satyendra Bhardwaj S/o Late Basant Kumar Bhardwaj Aged About 50 Years R/o Aghariya Para Ward No. 10 Jawalpur Distt- Janjgir- Champa (C.G.) ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through SHO Mulmula Distt- Janjgir- Champa (C.G.) ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Mr. Dheerendra Pandey, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Mr. SS Baghel, G.A. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 18.08.2026 1. This anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by the Applicant who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.30/2026 registered at Police Station – SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Digitally signed by SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Date: 2026.08.19 12:02:09 +0530 2 Mulmula, District Janjgir-Champa (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471/34 IPC. 2. As per the prosecution, the Applicant, while posted as a Patwari at Village Mulmula, allegedly entered the government land bearing Khasra Nos. 4/6, admeasuring 1.2000 hectares, and 4/12, admeasuring 0.8100 hectares, in the revenue records in the name of co-accused Praful, despite knowing that the said land did not belong to him, in furtherance of their common intention and by fabricating the revenue documents. Thereafter, co-accused Praful allegedly mortgaged the said forged documents with Axis Bank, Deepka, District Korba, and obtained a loan of Rs.20 lakhs. Based on these allegations, the offences as mentioned above have been registered against the present Applicant. Hence, this application. 3. Learned Counsel for the Applicant submits that the Applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He further submits that the Applicant was posted as Patwari at Mulmula during the relevant period and there is no specific allegation or material showing his involvement in the alleged forgery or loan transaction. It is submitted that the Applicant had already recorded his statement before the SDO (Revenue) pursuant to the show cause notice issued in 2024, 3 wherein he specifically stated that the relevant Khasra Nos. 4/6 and 4/12 were recorded as Government land and that he had no knowledge as to how the same came to be recorded in the name of co-accused Prafulla and further that the documents submitted by Axis Bank for sanction of the loan did not bear his signature and the signatures thereon were forged. It is further submitted that the subsequent revenue records also reflect the said land as Government land and therefore, the prosecution has failed to collect any legal evidence connecting the Applicant with the alleged forgery or loan transaction. He lastly submits that the trial is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion, therefore, the Applicant may be granted anticipatory bail. 4. Per contra, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application. 5. Considering the submissions advanced by learned Counsel for the parties, the material available in the case diary, the fact that the Applicant was posted as Patwari during the relevant period, the land is recorded as Government land and there is no material showing that the documents used for obtaining the loan bear the Applicant's signatures, coupled with the absence of any specific allegation of his direct involvement and the fact that the trial is likely to take 4 considerable time, without further commenting anything on the merits of the case, this Court is of the considered opinion that it is a fit case to extend the benefit of anticipatory bail to the Applicant. 6. 6. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in the event of arrest of the Applicant – Satyendra Bhardwaj on executing a personal bond with one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting Officer, he shall be released on bail on the following conditions:- (a) The Applicant/s shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her/them from disclosing such fact to the Court. (b) The Applicant/s shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial. (c) The Applicant/s shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to him/her/them by the said Court till disposal of the trial. (d)The Applicant/s and the surety shall submit a copy of his/her/their adhaar card along with a colored postcard full size photo having printed the adhaar number on it, which shall be verified by the trial Court. (e)The Applicant/s shall not involve himself/herself/themselves in any offence of similar nature in future. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE Priya