1 CGHC010326882026 2026:CGHC:37853 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 7880 of 2026 Shatruhan @ Shatrughan Yadav S/o Late Shri Vishnu Yadav Aged About 40 Years R/o Gouri Nagar, Ward No. 12, Chikhali, Distt. Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer Of The Police Station Lalbag, District - Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. ... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Ms. Sakshi Singh Thakur, Advocate. For Non-Applicant/State : Mr. Saurabh Sahu, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Order on Board 24.08.2026 1. The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Nyay Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as she has been arrested in connection with Crime No.268/2026, registered at Police Station - Lalbag, District - Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 34(2) of the Chhattisgarh Excise Act. 2. As per the prosecution case, in brief, on 24.06.2026, the Police Officer of Police Station Lalbag, District Rajnandgaon (C.G.), received secret information from an informant that the co-accused was allegedly selling liquor at his Payal Dhaba. Acting upon the said information, the police officials conducted a search of the said Dhaba and allegedly seized 13.500 bulk litres of liquor from the present applicant and 5.760 bulk litres PREETI KUMARI Digitally signed by PREETI KUMARI Date: 2026.08.25 11:22:44 +0530 2 of liquor from co-accused Ashok Tejwani, totaling 19.260 bulk litres of liquor. Thereafter, the alleged liquor was seized by the police, an offence was registered against the applicant and the co-accused, and the applicant was arrested. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is further submitted that the police have not seized any article from the exclusive possession of the applicant. He also submits that the applicant has six previous criminal antecedents under the Excise Act, out of which two cases have been disposed of, one of which resulted in his acquittal, while the remaining three cases are still pending. It is further submitted that the charge-sheet has already been filed, the applicant has been in judicial custody since 24.06.2026, and the trial is likely to take a considerable amount of time for its conclusion. Therefore, learned counsel for the applicant prays that the applicant be released on regular bail. 4. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been filed. He further submits that the applicant is having three previous criminal antecedents under the Excise Act, which are still pending, therefore, his bail application is liable to be dismissed. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused material available on record. 6. Considering the fact and circumstances of the case, nature of allegation levelled against the applicant and the fact that applicant is having three previous criminal antecedents under the Excise Act, which are still pending which shows that he is a habitual offender, further he has misused the bail granted to him earlier, and also in light of the judgment rendered by the Hon’ble Court in Deepak Yadav Vs. State of Uttar 3 Pradesh & Another, reported in (2022) 8 SCC 559, wherein the Hon’ble Supreme Court had cancelled the bail granted to the accused therein on the ground that the accused had previous antecedents, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicant on regular bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of applicant – Shatruhan @ Shatrughan Yadav involved in Crime No.268/2026, registered at Police Station - Lalbag, District - Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 34(2) of the Chhattisgarh Excise Act, is rejected. 8. Needless to say that the trial Court concerned is at liberty to proceed and conclude the trial expeditiously. 9. Office is directed to provide a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. Sd/- ((Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Preeti