1 CGHC010356862026 2026:CGHC:43363 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 8990 of 2026 1 - Sohan Lal Chaudhary @ Lalu Bihari S/o Sudarshan Chudhary Aged About 36 Years R/o Jagriti Nagar Beside Raju Sen House Ward No. 33, Birgaon P.S. Urla District Raipur C.G. ... Applicant versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through P.S. Cyber Cell Civil Line District Raipur C.G. ... Non-applicant For Applicant : Mr. Aman Pandey, Advocate For Non-applicant /State : Mr. Kanwaljeet Saini, Dy. G.A. Hon’ble Shri Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey Order on Board 07/10/2026 1. The applicant has preferred this second 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. 290/2025 registered at Police Station Cyber Cell Civil Line, District Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of BNS and Section 42(3)(e) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that during the period between 04.01.2024 and 02.03.2025, within the jurisdiction of Range Cyber Police Station, Civil Lines, Raipur (C.G.), the applicant/accused, in connivance with other co-accused persons, allegedly used a total of 41 SIM cards for carrying out cyber fraud activities. It is alleged that the applicant and other co-accused persons, acting in furtherance of their common intention and criminal conspiracy, dishonestly obtained and misappropriated an amount of Rs. 18,52,654/- by fraudulent and illegal means. On the basis of the said allegations, above-stated offence was registered against the applicant and co-accused persons and upon completion of investigation, charge-sheet was filed before the competent court. 3. Mr. Aman Pandey, 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 contend that the charge-sheet has already been filed and the applicant has been in judicial custody since 09/03/2026 and co-accused Ramkrishna Kushwaha has already been enlarged on bail by this Court vide order dated 29/07/2026 passed in MCRC/5981/2026, therefore, 3 the present applicant may also be enlarged on regular bail on the ground of parity. 4. On the other hand, Mr. Kanwaljeet Saini, learned counsel appearing for the non-applicant/State, would oppose the bail application and submit that the first bail application of the applicant has already been dismissed by this Court on merits vide order dated 06/07/2026 passed in MCRC/4970/2026. He would lastly submit that according to the affidavit of the Investigating Officer, the applicant allegedly procured and sold illegally activated Sim cards for monetary gain and received proceeds of cyber fraud through his UPI account, with financial transactions indicating his involvement in an organized cyber fraud syndicate. On these grounds, he prays for rejection of this bail application. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Learned counsel for the applicant has claimed parity with the co- accused Ramkrishna Kushwaha ,however, the first bail application filed by the applicant was firstly dismissed on merits vide order dated 06/07/2026 passed by this Court in MCRC/4970/2026 and thereafter, co-accused Ramkrishna Kushwaha was granted bail vide order dated 29/07/2026 passed by this Court in MCRC/5981/2026 but interestingly, this fact was not brought to the notice of the Court that the bail application of the present applicant has already been dismissed. 4 7. Having considered the nature and gravity of the offence committed by the applicant and further considering that his first bail application has already been dismissed on merits and the said fact was not brought to the notice of the Court while granting bail to the co-accused Ramkrishna Kushwaha, I am not inclined to grant bail to the present applicant on the ground of parity. 8. Accordingly, this bail application preferred by the applicant – Sohan Lal Chaudhary @ Lalu Bihari in connection with Crime No. 290/2025 registered at Police Station Cyber Cell Civil Line, District Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 317(2), 317(4), 317(5), 111 and 3(5) of BNS and Section 42(3)(e) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 is hereby rejected. Sd/- (Rakesh Mohan Pandey) JUDGE Harneet