1 CGHC010310112026 2026:CGHC:36602 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 7599 of 2026 Dilip Gupta @ Bhaltu S/o Manoj Gupta Aged About 21 Years R/o Village - Godarmana, Main Market, P/S - Ranka, Distt. Gadhwa Jharkhand ... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station - Ramanujganj, Distt. Balrampur- Ramanujganj Chhattisgarh ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Rahul Mishra, Advocate. For Non-Applicant/State : Ms. Palak Dwivedi, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 17.08.2026 1. This is the second bail application 5led under Section 483 of the BNSS for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 170/2025 registered at Police Station Ramanujganj, District – Balrampur - Ramanujganj (C.G.), for the o=ence punishable under Section 21(C) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. 2. The earlier bail application of the applicant being MCRC No. 3340 of 2026 was rejected by this Court vide order dated 12.05.2026 on merits. 3. As per the prosecution case, in brief, it is alleged that on 12.10.2025, the police received secret information from an informant. Acting upon the said information, the police proceeded to the spot and observed that a ABHISHEK SHRIVAS Digitally signed by ABHISHEK SHRIVAS Date: 2026.08.18 16:11:02 +0530 2 person was sitting near Ward No. 3, Ring Road Bridge. Upon seeing the police, he tried to @ee, but he was surrounded and apprehended by the police. On being apprehended, he disclosed his name as Mantu Kumar Soni. He was carrying an orange-coloured market bag, which was searched by the police. During the search, the police recovered Rexogesic injections (0.3 mg/ml each), 210 Alprazolam tablets (0.50 mg each), and 05 Pheniramine Maleate Injection I.P. (Avil). During the course of interrogation, the accused Mantu Kumar Soni gave a memorandum statement stating that he had purchased the aforesaid drugs from the present applicant, namely, Dilip Gupta @ Bhaltu. Thereafter, the police arrested the present applicant and registered an o=ence against him for the o=ence punishable under Section 21(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. 4. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that this is the second bail application 5led on behalf of the applicant. The 5rst bail application was rejected by this Hon’ble Court vide order dated 12.05.2026. He submits that out of 15 prosecution witnesses, 10 witnesses have already been examined before the learned trial Court and have not supported the case of the prosecution. He further submits that in similarly situated cases, bail has already been granted by this Court in MCRC Nos. 9889 of 2025 and 3751 of 2026. He also submits that the applicant has been in custody since 12.10.2025 and the conclusion of the trial is likely to take considerable time. On these grounds, learned counsel prays for grant of regular bail to the applicant. 5. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the bail application of the present applicant. 6. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 3 7. From a perusal of the pleadings, it appears that no new ground has been raised in the present second bail application, except that, as of today, only 10 out of 15 prosecution witnesses have been examined and all of them have turned hostile. This, by itself, does not constitute a suHcient ground for granting bail. Accordingly, I do not 5nd any justi5cation for granting bail, and the present second bail application 5led by the applicant is rejected at this stage. 8. Accordingly, the second bail application of the applicant – Dilip Gupta @ Bhaltu, involved in Crime No. 170/2025 registered at Police Station Ramanujganj, District – Balrampur - Ramanujganj (C.G.), for the o=ence punishable under Section 21(C) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, is rejected. 9. However, this Court hopes and trusts that the trial Court shall make an earnest endeavour to conclude the trial as expeditiously as possible within a period of three months from the receipt of a certi5ed copy of this order in accordance with law, if there is no legal impediment. 10. OHce is directed to send a certi5ed copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance forthwith. - Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Abhishek