1 CGHC010317832026 2026:CGHC:36659 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 1338 of 2026 Ankit Agrawal S/o Late Pawan Kumar Agrawal Aged About 31 Years R/o H.No. 751, Ward No. 12, Near Laxminarayan Mandir, Kota Raipur, Tehsil And District- Raipur (C.G.) ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station- City Kotwali, District- Dhamtari, (C.G.) ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Shri Manoj Paranjpe, Sr. Advocate with Shri Kabeer Kalwani, Advocate. For Non-Applicant : Shri Shubham Bajpai, PL. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 17/08/2026 1. This first anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by the applicant, who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.137/2026 registered at Police Station – City Kotwali Dhamtari, District – Dhamtari (C.G.) for the offence punishable KRISHNA KUMAR BARVE Digitally signed by KRISHNA KUMAR BARVE Date: 2026.08.18 20:01:31 +0530 2 under Sections 74 & 79 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (for short ‘BNS’). 2. The prosecution story, in brief, is that the complainant runs an eatery known as ‘Tiffin Center” at Dhamtari. The applicant, who is posted as a Sub Engineer at Gangrel, had been taking his meals since September, 2025. Since the accused/applicant and the complainant's family belonged to the same community, an acquaintance developed between them and cordial relations were established. It is further alleged that the accused/applicant had also expressed his intention to arrange a matrimonial match for himself within the same community. During the course of such acquaintance, the accused/applicant allegedly informed the complainant and her husband that he was required to make payments to labourers and would accordingly transfer money from his bank account into the complainant's account, which was to be withdrawn and handed over to him in cash. Owing to their cordial relations, the complainant and her husband allegedly extended such financial accommodation to the accused/applicant. It is further alleged that the accused/applicant, on the pretext of purchasing a plot, took a sum of Rs.11,00,000/- (Rupees Eleven Lakh) in cash from the husband of the complainant. It is further alleged that on 17.12.2025, while the accused/applicant was present at the Tiffin Center, he received a telephone call and went to the terrace, where he was allegedly heard apologising to the person on the call. On being questioned by the complainant's 3 husband, the accused/applicant allegedly stated that during a video call with another person, an obscene/nude video had been recorded and that the said person had lodged a complaint against him before the Cyber Cell. It is alleged that, owing to fear of the said complaint, the accused/applicant stated that he would not return to his house that night and accordingly stayed at the residence of the complainant. On the same day, towards adjustment of the aforesaid amount of Rs. 11,00,000/-, the accused/applicant allegedly transferred a sum of Rs.3,30,000/- from his bank account into the complainant's account and simultaneously requested that a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- be returned to him in cash. It is further alleged that on 30.12.2026 the accused/applicant was quite nervous and requested the complainant and her husband to allow him to stay at their place for the night, as the New Year's holidays were approaching and he intended to leave for his home the next morning. The complainant and her husband accordingly allowed the accused/applicant to stay at their place. On the following morning, the accused/applicant came to the complainant's room, knocked on the door and requested her to prepare tea and thereafter returned to his room. The complainant prepared tea and went to wake her husband, who asked her to keep the tea aside as he intended to have tea along with the accused/applicant before dropping him. Thereafter, when the complainant went to call the accused/applicant for tea, she found him naked inside the room 4 and, upon entering the room, the accused/applicant caught hold of her. The complainant managed to free herself from his grasp, whereafter her husband arrived at the spot and caught the accused/applicant red handed. Thereafter FIR was registered against the applicant. Hence, the bail application. 3. Learned Senior counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He further submits that the allegations levelled in the F.I.R. are highly improbable, vague and omnibus in nature and do not disclose the specific overt act so as to attract the stringent provisions invoked against the appellant. The F.I.R. lodged at the instance of the complainant is wholly misconceived and is nothing but a counter blast to the complaint lodged by the applicant against the complainant and her husband, which has been registered as Crime No. 136/2026 at Police Station Dhamtari, District Dhamtari (C.G.). It is submitted that the actual factual backdrop of the present case is that the complainant and her husband had allegedly made a video of the applicant in a naked condition and were thereafter threatening and blackmailing him by stating that, in case the applicant failed to pay the demanded amount, they would lodge a false complaint against him and would also make the said video viral. It is further submitted that the complainant and her husband initially demanded a sum of Rs.50,00,000/- from the applicant and, upon his refusal to pay the said amount, subsequently reduced their demand to 5 Rs.30,00,000/-. Under the aforesaid threat and pressure, the applicant had already paid a sum of Rs.16,83,000/- to the complainant and her husband on various occasions. He further submits that similarly situated co-accused person has already been released on anticipatory bail by this Court vide order dated 2.7.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1001/2026. Therefore, the applicant be released on bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused all of the documents taken on record. 6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature of dispute between the parties, material available in the case diary and the fact that similarly situated co-accused person has already been released on anticipatory bail by this Court vide order dated 2.7.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1001/2026, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, this Court is inclined to extend the benefit of anticipatory bail to the applicant. 7. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in the event of arrest of the applicant – Ankit Agrawal, 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) He should not directly or indirectly make any 6 inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such fact to the Court. (b) He should not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial. (c) he should appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to him by the said Court till disposal of the trial. (d) The Applicant and the sureties shall submit a copy of their adhaar card alongwith a colored postcard full size photo having printed the adhaar number on it, which shall be verified by the trial Court. (e) He should not involve himself in any offence of similar nature in future. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE Barve