1 CGHC010341382026 2026:CGHC:43006 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 8179 of 2026 1 - Bunty @ Ravi Pahuja S/o Late Parmanand Aged About 50 Years R/o Near Nagorao, Shesh School Juna, Bilaspur Police Station City, Kotwali, Bilaspr District Bilaspur C. G.-- (Wrongly Mentioned As District City Kotwali,) ... Applicant versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through - Station House Officer, Police Station Pathariya District Mungeli, C. G. … Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Goutam Khetrapal, Advocate For Non-applicant /State : Mr. Jitendra Shrivastava, G.A. Hon’ble Shri Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey Order on Board 05/10/2026 1. The applicant has preferred this first bail application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 208/2026 registered at Police Station Patharia, District 2 Mungeli (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 305(e), 331(4), 317(2) and 3(5) of BNS. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that, on 06.08.2026 the complainant Umendra Singh Rajput lodged report at Police Station, Patharia, regarding theft of 76 gunny bags rice (38 quintals) from fair price shop of Gram Panchayat, Belkhuri total amounting to Rs. 65,000/-. On the basis of said report, the offence U/s 305(e), 331(4) of BNS was registered against unknown person and during course of investigation, the accused Khilesh Kaushik, Mahendra Nishad & Raju Shrivas were arrested and their memorandum were recorded, who admitted regarding commission of food grains from fair price shops and further admitted that they have sold the food grains to the present applicant Bunty @ Ravi Pahuja & Sonu Rana. On the basis of said memorandum of co-accused, the present applicant has been arrested on 11.08.2026 and at the same time, registered three FIRs against the accused persons. 3. Mr. Goutam Khetrapal, learned counsel appearing for the applicant, would submit that the applicant is innocent and has falsely been implicated in the present case. He would further submit that the applicant has been implicated in the offence in question on the basis of memorandum of co-accused persons and on the basis of same recovery and same allegations, the police have registered three FIRs. Bearing No. 208/2026, 211/2026 and 252/2026 and the applicant has already been granted bail by the Trial Court in connection with crime No. 252/2026. He would also 3 submit that similarly situated co-accused persons namely Sonu, Ayush and Naitik have already been granted bail. He would lastly contend that and the applicant has no previous criminal antecedents and he has been in judicial custody since 11/08/2026, and since the conclusion of the trial is likely to take considerable time, the applicant may be enlarged on regular bail. 4. On the other hand, Mr. Jitendra Shrivastava, learned counsel appearing for the non-applicant/State, would oppose the bail application and submit that the allegation against the present applicant and co-accused Sonu is that they purchased the stolen rice from other co-accused persons and there are two more cases registered against the applicant, as such, he is not entitled to be released on bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Having considered the facts and circumstances of the case particularly considering that on the basis of memorandum statement of co-accused persons, a total of three FIRs have been registered against the applicant on same allegations and further considering that co-accused Sonu against whom similar allegations have been levelled, has already been enlarged on bail by the trial Court, he is in judicial custody since 11/08/2026, and the conclusion of the trial is likely to take some time, this Court is inclined to enlarge the applicant on regular bail. Accordingly, the bail application is allowed. 4 7. It is directed that in the event of the applicant executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.50,000/- with one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court, he shall be released on bail, on following conditions :- (i) he shall not directly or indirectly make any 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, (ii) he shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial, and (iii) he shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to him by the said Court till disposal of the trial. 8. The observation made hereinabove is for the purpose of deciding this bail application only, the trial Court shall decide the case on its own merits. Sd/- (Rakesh Mohan Pandey) JUDGE Harneet