1 CGHC010368112026 2026:CGHC:43523 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 8905 of 2026 1 - Pinku Pardhi S/o Panchu Pardhi Aged About 45 Years R/o Village - Boideeh O.P. - Chikhali P.S. - Kotwali District Rajnandgaon Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station - P. Chowki - Chikhali, P.S. - City Kotwali District Rajnandgaon Chhattisgarh ... Respondent(s) For Applicant : Shri Ashish Gangwani, Advocate. For Non-applicant/State : Shri Ritika Verma, P.L. HON’BLE SHRI JUSTICE RAKESH MOHAN PANDEY Order on Board 07/10/2026 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 applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No.278/2026 registered at Police Chowki Chikhali, Police Station City Kotwali, District Rajnandgaon (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Section 20(B) of the of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. NIRMALA RAO 2 2. The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the police of Police Station City Kotwali, District Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, received secret information from an informant and, on the basis of the said information, conducted a raid and seized 6.847 kg of contraband Ganja from the possession of the applicant. Thereafter, the aforesaid offence was registered against the applicant. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant would submit that, though there were eight criminal antecedents against the applicant, five cases have already been disposed of, wherein the applicant has been acquitted. He would submit that three cases are still pending, out of which two are under the Excise Act, one registered in the year 2021 and another in the year 2023, and one case under Section 64 of the BNS registered in the year 2025. It is argued that there are no criminal antecedents of a similar nature. It is also argued that co-accused, namely, Chetan Das Manikpuri, has already been enlarged on bail by the Coordinate Bench of this Court. He would further submit that the applicant was implicated in the present case on the basis of the memorandum statement of the co-accused. Thus, he would pray for grant of regular bail to the applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State would oppose the bail application. She would submit that the present applicant was involved in the illegal transportation of contraband and has eight criminal antecedents. Therefore, the bail application deserves to be rejected. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Having considered the fact that there is no criminal antecedent of a similar nature, that some of the cases out of the eight criminal 3 antecedents have already been disposed of, that the charge-sheet has already been filed, that the applicant has been in jail since 21.8.2026, and that co-accused, namely, Chetan Das Manikpuri, has already been enlarged on bail by the Coordinate Bench of this Court, this Court is of the view that the applicant is entitled to be released on bail in the present case. Accordingly, the bail application is allowed. 7. Accordingly, the bail application is allowed. 7. Let the applicant be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond in sum of Rs.50,000/- with one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the Court concerned with the 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, & (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. Sd/- (Rakesh Mohan Pandey) JUDGE Nimmi