1 CGHC010334362026 2026:CGHC:38829 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 8115 of 2026 Dhanendra Sahu S/o Vijay Sahu Aged About 25 Years R/o Pahadi Chowk Near Jainam Jewelers Gudhiyari Raipur, Police Station Gudhiyari, District- Raipur, (C.G.) ... Applicant(s) versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station- Kotwali Rajnandgaon, District- Rajnandgaon, (C.G.) ... Non-applicant(s) For Applicant : Mr. Ali Afzaal Mirza, Advocate For Non-applicant/State : Mr. Jitendra Shrivastava, Govt. Advocate. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 02.09.2026 1. The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 199/2025, registered at Police Station Rajnandgaon Kotwali, District Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 109(1), 296, 351(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 2. The prosecution story, in brief, is that on 28.04.2025, an FIR was KUNAL DEWANGAN Digitally signed by KUNAL DEWANGAN 2 registered at Police Station Rajnandgaon Kotwali against unknown persons on the report of the complainant Pushpendra Pal. It is alleged that the injured Rakesh Pal, who was working as a driver, was travelling with his trailer when, near Parrinala Dargah, G.E. Road, three persons came on a white-coloured scooty and signalled him to stop his vehicle. It is alleged that after the injured stopped the vehicle and came outside, the said persons abused him in filthy language, threatened to kill him and assaulted him with a knife. In the course of the assault, the injured allegedly sustained multiple injuries on different parts of his body, including his buttock, sacral region, left thigh and left middle finger. It is further alleged that upon the injured raising an alarm, the police personnel deployed on duty near the Dargah came to his rescue and took him to the Medical College Hospital, Pendri, for treatment. During investigation, the persons apprehended in connection with Crime No. 82/2025 were interrogated and their memorandum statements were recorded, pursuant to which the involvement of the present applicant along with other accused persons came to light. During investigation, a scooty bearing registration No. CG 04 LC 6468 and cash amount of Rs.350/- were seized from the possession of the present applicant. After completion of investigation, charge-sheet has been filed before the competent Court. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. It is submitted that the FIR was initially registered against unknown persons and no Test Identification Parade was conducted during 3 investigation. It is further submitted that, although the prosecution alleges assault by means of a knife, no knife has been seized from the possession of the present applicant. He further submits that two other accused persons involved in the case are juveniles and their cases are being dealt with separately before the competent Juvenile Court. It is also submitted that the applicant has one criminal antecedent, which has been duly explained in the bail application in Part-D relating to criminal antecedents. He further submits that as per the MLC report the injured has received simple injuries. So far as the status of the trial is concerned, learned counsel submits that charges were framed against the applicant on 02.08.2025 and out of 10 prosecution witnesses cited by the prosecution, 04 prosecution witnesses have already been examined. It is submitted that the matter is still at the stage of prosecution evidence and the trial is being delayed due to the non- appearance of witnesses despite issuance of summons on several occasions. The applicant has been in custody since 29.04.2025 and the trial is likely to take some time for its conclusion therefore, he prays for grant of bail. 4. On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the prayer for grant of bail and submits that the present applicant is the main accused who allegedly assaulted the injured Rakesh Pal with a knife. He further submits that, as per the MLC report, the injured sustained multiple incised wounds, including: (i) an incised wound over the left upper outer buttock measuring approximately 4 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm. (ii) an incised wound over the sacral region measuring 4 approximately 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm. (iii) an incised wound over the left thigh measuring approximately 4 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm. (iv) another incised wound over the left thigh measuring approximately 3 cm × 1 cm × 2 cm and (v) an incised wound over the left middle finger measuring approximately 1 cm × 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm. He further submits that the injuries sustained by the injured are grievous in nature and the allegations against the present applicant are serious. It is also submitted that the applicant has one criminal antecedent. Therefore, looking to the gravity of the allegations, the manner in which the injured was allegedly assaulted and the nature of injuries sustained by him, the applicant is not entitled to be released on bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary as well as the material available on record. 6. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, nature and gravity of the allegations levelled against the applicant, the specific allegation that the present applicant is the main accused who assaulted the injured with a knife and further considering the nature and location of the multiple incised wounds sustained by the injured, which, as per the medical material available on record, are grievous in nature, this Court is not inclined to accept the contention of the applicant at this stage. So far as the status of the trial is concerned, out of 10 prosecution witnesses cited by the prosecution, 04 prosecution witnesses have already been examined. Thus, the trial is progressing and is presently at the stage of prosecution evidence. Further considering that the applicant has one criminal antecedent, which has been explained in 5 the bail application, and looking to the seriousness of the allegations and the prima facie material available against the applicant, I am not inclined to grant regular bail to the present applicant. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of the applicant namely- Dhanendra Sahu involved in Crime No. 199/2025, registered at Police Station Rajnandgaon Kotwali, District Rajnandgaon (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 109(1), 296, 351(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023., is rejected. 8. However, this Court hopes and trust that the trial Court shall make an earnest endeavour to conclude the trial in accordance with law as expeditiously as possible, within a period of six months from the receipt of a certified copy of this order, if there is no legal impediment. 9. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice Kunal