1 CGHC010313832026 2026:CGHC:36332 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No.7537 of 2026 Shakti Narayan Singh S/o Late Bhishan Singh Aged About 48 Years R/o Rest House Road, Dantewada, Tehsil And District Dantewada C. G. ... Applicant Arial versus The State Of Chhattisgarh Through- Police Station Khairagarh, District Khairagarh, Chhuikhadan Gandai CG. ... Non-applicant _____________________________________________________ For Applicant :Mr. DK Gwalre, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State :Ms. Anusha Naik, Dy. G.A. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 14.08.2026 1. The Applicant has preferred this 1st Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No.194/2026 registered at Police SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Digitally signed by SISTLA NEELIMA VISHNU PRIYA Date: 2026.08.14 19:14:12 +0530 2 Station – Khairagarh, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai (C.G.), for the offences under Sections 34(1)(a), 34(2), 36 49- A(b)(c) and 59-A(i)(ii) of Excise Act as also under Sections 61(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2) and 342(1) of BNS. 2. As per the prosecution story, on 12.02.2026 at about 9:56 p.m., the police of Police Station Khairagarh received secret information that liquor was being adulterated and illegally bottled and labelled in a rented premises situated at Ward No.11, Dharampura, Khairagarh. Acting upon the said information, the police team, along with independent witnesses and the cyber team, conducted a search of the premises where accused Bhagwat Verma and Trilok Yadav were allegedly found. During the search, 130 sealed bottles of Goa Special Whisky containing 180 ml each, totalling 23.400 bulk litres, 10.500 bulk litres of suspected liquor kept in a water container, liquor bottle caps, labels, empty liquor bottles, label slips, water cans and other materials used for bottling and labelling liquor were allegedly recovered. The accused persons failed to produce any valid documents or licence in respect of the seized articles. During investigation, it was further revealed that liquor was allegedly being taken out from a liquor shop, diluted with water and thereafter sold after affixing labels, caps and holograms with the assistance 3 of the co-accused. 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 neither found at the spot nor named in the FIR and that the seized liquor, upon analysis, was found to be adulterated only with water, with no allegation that it was unfit for human consumption or likely to cause injury or death. It is further submitted that the Applicant has been implicated primarily on the basis of memorandum statements of co-accused persons, who allegedly stated that the adulteration was carried out on his instructions, whereas nothing incriminating has been seized from the Applicant except a mobile phone and there is no other material connecting him with the alleged offence. He further submits that the investigation is complete and charge- sheet has been filed, the Applicant is in custody since 13.05.2026, there are 24 prosecution witnesses and the trial is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion. It is also submitted that three co-accused persons namely Abhishek Ranjan, Tipesh Kumar Soni and Rajiv Gupta @ Raju, have already been granted bail by this Court vide orders dated 4 03.08.2026, 06.08.2026 and 07.08.2026 passed in M.Cr.C Nos.6987/2026, 7210/2026 and 7217/2026 respectively, therefore, the Applicant may also be extended the benefit of bail on the ground of parity. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the Applicant has no previous criminal antecedents. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the submissions advanced by learned Counsel for the parties, the material available in the case diary, the fact that the Applicant was neither found at the spot nor named in the FIR, no incriminating article except a mobile phone has been seized from him, co-accused persons, namely Abhishek Ranjan, Tipesh Kumar Soni and Rajiv Gupta @ Raju, have already been granted bail by this Court vide orders dated 03.08.2026, 06.08.2026 and 07.08.2026, respectively, the period of custody of the Applicant since 13.05.2026, he has no previous criminal antecedents and the trial is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion, without further commenting anything on the merits of the case, this Court is of the considered opinion that it is a fit case to allow the application. Accordingly, the bail application 5 is allowed. 7. Let Applicant- Shakti Narayan Singh involved in Crime No. 194/2026 registered at Police Station – Khairagarh, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai (C.G.), for the offences under Sections 34(1)(a), 34(2), 36 49-A(b)(c) and 59-A(i)(ii) of Excise Act as also under Sections 61(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2) and 342(1) of BNS be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond with two sureties in the like sum to the satisfaction of the Court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he/she shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law. (ii) The applicant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through his/her counsel. In case of his/her absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against him/her under Section 269 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iii) In case, the applicant misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure his/her presence, proclamation under Section 84 of BNSS. is issued and the applicant fails to appear before the court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against him/her, in accordance with law, under Section 209 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. 6 (iv) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 351 of BNSS. If in the opinion of the trial court absence of the applicant is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against him/her in accordance with law. 8. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Priya