1 2026:CGHC:2147-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR CRA No. 2291 of 2025 Tushal Kumar Sahu Alias Sonu Sahu S/o Dilip Sahu Aged About 26 Years R/o Ward No. 7 Lawan, P.S. Lawan, Distt. Balodabazar- Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh. --- Appellant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House O0cer, P.S. Lawan, Distt. Balodabazar-Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh. --- Respondent For Appellant : Mr. Pragalbh Sharma, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Mr. Dharmesh Shrivastava, Deputy Advocate General Hon’ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon’ble Mr. Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, Judge Judgment on Board Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice 14/01/2026 1. Heard Mr. Pragalbh Sharma, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. Dharmesh Shrivastava, learned Deputy Advocate General for the State/respondent. 2. Challenge in this appeal under Section 21(4) of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 read with Section 483 of the 2 Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, the BNSS) is to the order dated 26.08.2025 passed by the learned Special Judge (NIA), Bilaspur, District Bilaspur, in Special Case (NIA) No. 1/2025 by which the application of the appellant under Section 483 of the BNSS for grant of bail, has been rejected. 3. The appellant has ?led this appeal for grant of regular bail as the appellant has been arrested on 08.12.2024 by the Police in connection with Crime No. 519/2024 registered at Police Station, Lawan, District Balodabazar-Bhatapara for the oAences under Sections 178, 180, 181, read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short, the BNS). 4. The appellant had earlier ?led a petition under Section 483 of the BNSS, being M.Cr.C. No. 8288 of 2025 before a learned Single Judge of this Court, which was dismissed as withdrawn vide order dated 15.10.2025. 5. The case of the prosecution, in brief is that on 07.12.2024, an information was received from the informer at Police Station Lavan that persons named Bhuvan Sahu and Tushal Sahu alias Sonu have brought a large quantity of fake currency notes with the intention of spending them and are staying in the ruins behind the Lavan Bazar District Cooperative Bank. After receiving the above information, along with the staA and witness Puneet Jangde and owner Ram Sahu, the police left in Government patrolling vehicle number CG- 03A-0166 and laid siege to the place mentioned by the informer and caught Bhuvan Sahu alias Bhupesh and appellant-Tushal Sahu alias Sonu present there. On searching the clothes of Bhuvan Sahu alias Bhupesh, 04 notes of Rs. 500-500/-, 03 notes of Rs. 200-200/-, and 8 3 notes of Rs.100-100/- were recovered from the right pocket of his pants. A total of 15 pieces of notes worth Rs. 3400/- were found which were recovered in presence of witnesses, after that on searching the clothes of appellant-Tushal Sahu alias Sonu, 02 notes of Rs. 500-500/-, 05 notes of Rs. 200-200/-, 10 notes of Rs. 100- 100/-, total 17 pieces of notes worth Rs. 3000/- were found from the back pocket of his pants which were recovered in presence of witnesses. On seeing and touching the notes recovered from the possession of the said appellant/accused and co-accused, on identifying all the recovered notes as fake, an identi?cation Panchnama was prepared and after seizing them in presence of witnesses, a seizure memo was prepared. 6. It is further the case of the prosecution that during the investigation of the case, after questioning the accused and taking memorandum statements, it has been told that the accused, in connivance with appellant-Kushal Sahu, resident of Lavan, had made a plan to buy a colour printer machine and using printer paper, printed fake notes of Rs. 100, 200 and 500/-. On interrogation of the accused, spot inspection memorandum, recovery, seizure, it has been found that the appellant/accused, along with his co-accused, had committed the crime of tra0cking counterfeit currency notes as genuine and keeping counterfeit currency notes in his possession, hence, the crime has been registered and taken into investigation. 7. Mr. Pragalbh Sharma, learned counsel for the appellant submits that the appellant has been falsely implicated in this case. There is no evidence to establish that the appellant was involved actively in commission of the crime. The applicant is a young boy aged about 26 4 years and since the investigation has already been concluded, no fruitful purpose would be served if the appellant is kept behind the bars. The appellant is in jail since 08.12.2024 and is ready and willing to abide by all the terms and conditions as may be imposed by this Court while releasing him on bail. 8. On the other hand, Mr. Dharmesh Shrivastava, learned counsel for the respondent/State while opposing this appeal, submits that the oAence committed by the appellant is of serious nature. Counterfeit currency notes have been recovered from the appellant and the articles used in preparation of the fake currency notes viz. printer, paper etc. have also been seized by the Police. He further submits that there are as many as six other criminal antecedents of the appellant and the appellant is a habitual oAender. Various oAences viz. Crime 389/24 for the oAences under Sections 109(1), 103(1), 61(2)(a), 238(a), 238(b), 3(5) IPC, 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, 111(2) (a), 111(5) of the IPC, Crime No. 397/2019 for the oAence under Sections 379, 34 of the IPC, Crime No. 317/2017 for the oAences under Section 41(1-d), 379 IPC, Crime No. 4/2019 for the oAences under Sections 379, 34 of the IPC, Crime No. 715/2020 for the oAence under Section 395 IPC and Crime No. 51/23 for the oAences under Sections 147, 148, 149, 294, 323, 506, 34 of the IPC, have been registered against the appellant. It is lastly submitted that the trial is in progress as out of total 23 witnesses, 12 witnesses have been examined by 25.11.2025 and the matter was listed on 12.01.2026 and 13.01.2026 before the learned trial Court and the next date for recording of remaining prosecution witnesses is 17.02.2026, and as such, this appeal deserves to be dismissed. 5 9. We have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the materials available on record. 10.The FIR has been registered against the appellant for the oAences under Sections 178, 180, 181, read with Section 3(5) of the BNS, which are serious in nature as a huge quantity of counterfeit currency notes have been seized from the possession of the appellant alongwith other co-accused persons. The other incriminating articles viz. the printer, paper etc. have also been seized. No explanation has been given by the appellant for recovery of counterfeit currency from his possession. The appellant has a habitual oAender as he is having six other criminal antecedents and he has misused the liberty granted by the Courts. Further, the trial is in progress as out of total 23 prosecution witnesses, 12 witnesses have already been examined and the remaining witnesses would also be examined very soon as the next date for recording of evidence is ?xed for 17.02.2026, and as such, at this stage, this Court is not inclined to allow this appeal for release of the appellant on bail. 11.As a result, this appeal stands dismissed. Sd/- Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) (Ramesh Sinha) JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE Amit AMIT KUMAR DUBEY Digitally signed by AMIT KUMAR DUBEY Date: 2026.01.15 19:57:26 +0530