1 CGHC010375762026 2026:CGHC:42826 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 9070 of 2026 1 - Indrani Shikari W/o Dilip Shikari Aged About 45 Years R/o Village Matiyaari Police Station Sipat Distt- Bilaspur (C.G.) 2 - Nand Kumari Shikari W/o Lalmand Shikari Aged About 45 Years R/o Matiyaari Police Station Sipat Distt- Bilaspur (C.G.) ... Applicants versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station Sarkanda Bilaspur (C.G.) ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Vivek Kumar Tripathi, Advocate For Non-applicant /State : Mr. Jitendra Shrivastava, G.A. Hon’ble Shri Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey Order on Board 01/10/2026 1. This is the first bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail to the applicants, who have been arrested in connection with 2 Crime No. 716/2026 registered at Police Station Sarkanda, District Bilaspur (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 20(B) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (for short, the NDPS Act). 2. The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 18.05.2026, the Police on the basis of secret information, intercepted two auto- rickshaws near Lagra Cement Factory, Sipat Road, P.S. Sarkanda, Bilaspur at about13:35 hours and after search, seized 7.500 kilograms of contraband ganja from applicant No. 1 Indrani Shikari and 13.100 kilograms of contraband ganja from applicant No. 2 Nand Kumari Shikari and thereby, seized a total of 90.700 kilograms of ganja from the applicants and other co-accused persons. Thereafter, the police completed investigation in accordance with the provisions of NDPS Act. 3. Learned Counsel for the applicants would submit that the present applicants are innocent and have falsely been implicated in the crime in question. He would further submit that there are no previous criminal antecedents of the applicants; the applicants are in jail since 18/05/2026 and conclusion of the trial is likely to take some considerable time. Therefore, he would pray that the application may be allowed and the applicants may be enlarged on bail. 4. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State would oppose the bail application and argue that the applicants and other co- 3 accused persons were transporting the contraband ganja illegally from Odisha State through auto-rickshaws. It is also submitted that the police searched the auto-rickshaws and seized total ganja weighing 90.700 kilograms, therefore, the present applicants are not entitled for grant of regular bail in the present case. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the nature and gravity of the allegations, and the recovery of commercial quantity of contraband and having regard to the stringent conditions under Section 37 of the NDPS Act, wherein this Court cannot satisfy itself that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the applicants are not guilty of such offence and they are not likely to commit any offence while on bail. Consequently, this Court does not find it to be a fit case for grant of regular bail to the applicants. 7. Accordingly, the first bail application filed by the applicants is hereby rejected. Sd/ Sd/- Sd/- (Rakesh Mohan Pandey) JUDGE Harneet