1 CGHC010363612026 2026:CGHC:43576 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 8772 of 2026 1 - Dharam Singh Jatwar S/p Late Dujeram Jatwar, Aged About 38 Years Resident Of Village Mudwabhatha, Police Station Kosir, District Sarangarh Bilaigarh, (C.G.) ... Applicant versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Excise Circle Kosir District Sarangarh Bilaigarh, (C.G.) ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Vikram Pratap, Advocate For Non-applicant /State : Ms. Smriti Shrivastava, P.L. Hon’ble Shri Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey Order on Board 08/10/2026 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 2 Crime No. 16/2026 registered at Police Station Excise Circle Kosir, District Sarangarh Bilaigarh (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 34(1)(A)(f), 34(2) and 59(A) of Chhattisgarh Excise Act, 1915 (hereinafter, “the Excise Act”). 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 09/07/2026, as per the information received from an informer, police conducted a raid and seized 21 bulk liters of liquor from the house of the applicant and thereafter, registered the aforesaid offence against the present applicant. 3. Mr. Vikram Pratap, learned counsel appearing for the applicant, would submit that the applicant is innocent and he has falsely been implicated in the present case. He would further submit that the applicant has six criminal antecedents. He would further contend that the applicant is in jail since 10/07/2026, the charge- sheet has already been filed, and the trial is likely to take considerable time to conclude, therefore, the applicant be enlarged on regular bail. 4. On the other hand, Ms. Smriti Shrivastava, learned counsel for the non-applicant/State, would oppose the bail application and submit that the charge-sheet has already been filed before the competent Court. She would further submit that 21 bulk litres of liquor were seized from the house of the present applicant. It is also submitted that the applicant has six previous criminal antecedents of a similar nature, pertaining to the years 2022, 2023, 2024 (two 3 cases), 2025 and 2026, registered for offences punishable under the Excise Act. Out of the said cases, two cases registered in 2024 and one case registered in 2026 are still pending. Therefore, considering the quantity of liquor seized and the applicant's criminal antecedents, applicant is not entitled to be released on regular bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Having considered the submissions of learned counsel for the parties and having gone through the material available on record, this Court finds that a quantity of 21 bulk litres of liquor is alleged to have been seized from the house of the present applicant. It is further evident that the applicant has six previous criminal antecedents of similar nature, registered under the provisions of the Excise Act, pertaining to the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, out of which three cases, including two cases of the year 2024 and one case of the year 2026, are still pending, which shows that applicant is a habitual offender. Though the charge- sheet has already been filed, considering the nature and quantity of the contraband seized and, more particularly, the applicant's antecedents of similar nature, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant. 7. Accordingly, the bail application filed by the applicant – Dharam Singh Jatwar in connection with Crime No. 16/2026 registered at 4 Police Station Excise Circle Kosir, District Sarangarh Bilaigarh (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 34(1)(A)(f), 34(2) and 59(A) of the Excise Act is hereby rejected. Sd/- Sd/- (Rakesh Mohan Pandey) JUDGE Harneet