1 2026:CGHC:8108 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 781 of 2026 Lokeshwar Chandrakar S/o Neelkanth Chandrakar Aged About 22 Years R/o Village Rashni, P.S. Arang, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh. ---Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through P.S. Civil Lines, Raipur, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh. --- Respondent(s)/State MCRC No. 787 of 2026 Sheikh Zeeshan S/o Sheikh Zameer Aged About 23 Years R/o Ward No. 21, Rajnagar, Dongargarh, District Rajnandgaon C.G. (As Per Correct Details) ---Applicant Versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer, Police Station Cyber Range Civil Line, District Raipur C.G. --- Respondent(s)/State For Applicants : Mr. Arun Kukreja and Mr. Sachin Nidhi, Advocates. For State : Mr. S.S. Baghel, G.A. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 13/02/2026 1. These are the first bail applications filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) for grant of regular bail to the applicants who have been arrested in Digitally signed by RAVVA UTTEJ KUMAR RAJU 2 connection with Crime No. 44/2025 registered at Police Station Civil Line Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 111, 3(5), 317(2), 317(4) and 317(5) of BNS. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the accused, in connivance with other co-accused persons, committed an organized cyber fraud. It is alleged that approximately 104 bank accounts were fraudulently opened in Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, Civil Lines Branch, Raipur, and SIM cards were issued without the knowledge of the complainant. These bank accounts and SIM cards were allegedly used to receive and transfer the proceeds of cyber fraud. The accused is alleged to have actively participated in facilitating the diversion and movement of the cheated amount along with other co-accused persons, which led to the registration of alleged offence against the applicants. Hence, the bail applications. 3. Learned counsel for the respective applicants submit that the applicants have not committed any offence, only on the basis of mere suspicion, present applicants have been falsely implicated in the offence in question. They further submit that four of the identically situated co-accused persons, namely, Harmeet Singh @ Yashmit, Saurabh Pal, Tanishq Singh Bhatia and Shubham Singh Thakur have already been granted bail by the Hon’ble Supreme Court vide common order dated 19.11.2025 in SLP Nos.15006/2025, 12849/2025, 15613/2025 and 17452/2025 and thereafter, on the ground of parity, several other co-accused 3 persons have also been granted bail by this Court. The applicants are in jail since 23.01.2025 and 20.01.2025 respectively, the applicants have no criminal antecedents, charge-sheet has been filed and the trial is likely to take some time for its conclusion. Therefore, they pray for grant of bail to the applicants on the ground of parity. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the charge-sheet has been filed in the present case. They further submit that the applicants allegedly, in connivance with other co-accused persons, fraudulently opened about 104 bank accounts and arranged SIM cards without the complainant’s knowledge, and used them to receive and transfer money obtained through cyber fraud, thereby facilitating the diversion of cheated funds, therefore, the applicants are not entitled for grant of bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, nature and gravity of offence, period of detention of the applicants since 23.01.2025 and 20.01.2025 the fact that though the applicants allegedly, in connivance with other co-accused persons, fraudulently opened about 104 bank accounts and arranged SIM cards without the complainant’s knowledge, and used them to receive and transfer money obtained through cyber 4 fraud, but considering the fact that four of the co-accused persons, namely, Harmeet Singh @ Yashmit, Saurabh Pal, Tanishq Singh Bhatia and Shubham Singh Thakur have already been granted bail by the Hon’ble Supreme Court vide common order dated 19.11.2025 in SLP Nos.15006/2025, 12849/2025, 15613/2025 and 17452/2025, thereafter on the ground of parity, several other co-accused persons have also been granted bail by this Court and the case of present applicants are identical to that of the aforesaid co-accused persons, further considering the fact that the applicants have no criminal antecedents and charge- sheet has been filed in the present case, this Court is of the view that the applicants are entitled to be released on bail in this case. 7. Accordingly, the applications are allowed. 8. Let the Applicant- Lokeshwar Chandrakar and Applicant- Sheikh Zeeshan, involved in Crime No. 44/2025 registered at Cyber Range, Police Station Civil Line Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 111, 3(5), 317(2), 317(4) and 317(5) of BNS, be released on bail on their furnishing a personal bond with two sureties each in the like sum to the satisfaction of the Court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicants shall file an undertaking to the effect that they shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in court. In case of default of this condition, it 5 shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law. (ii) The applicants shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through their counsel. In case of their absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against them under Section 269 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iii) In case, the applicants misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure their presence, proclamation under Section 84 of BNSS. is issued and the applicants fail to appear before the court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against them, in accordance with law, under Section 209 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iv) The applicants shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 351 of BNSS. If in the opinion of the trial court absence of the applicants are deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against them in accordance with law. 9. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court for necessary information and compliance. s Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE U.K. Raju