1 2026:CGHC:11725 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 709 of 2026 Manoj Kumar Mehra S/o Gaya Prasad Mehra Aged About 33 Years R/o Surai, Police Station- Jabera, District- Damoh (M.P.) ... Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police Station Singhoda, District Mahasamund C.G. ... Respondent For Applicant : Shri Goutam Khetrapal, Advocate. For Respondent/State : Ms. Ritika Verma, PL. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 11/03/2026 1. This is the first bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNSS’) for grant of regular bail to the applicant who has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 53/2022 (wrongly mentioned as 53/2025) registered at Police Station Singhoda, District GOURI MUDALIAR Digitally signed by GOURI MUDALIAR Date: 2026.03.12 17:37:32 +0530 2 Mahasamund (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 20(B) of Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 12.07.2022 as per instruction of higher authorities, the vehicles were checked in Checkpost of NH-53 Village Ganiyaripali in front of Shyam Dhaba, at that time, one without number Gray Colour Centro Car was standing 100 meter away from checking point and on inspection of said car, 25 kg. cannabis was recovered from the dickey of the said car, but the driver was not there. On the basis of said recovery of cannabis, the FIR No. 53/2022 was registered against unknown person and during course of investigation, the applicant has been arrested on 01.08.2025. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant would submit that the applicant has been falsely implicated in this case and he is in jail since 01/08/2025. He would further submit that the mandatory provisions with regard to search and seizure were not complied with in this case. He would submit that conclusion of the trial may take quite long time. Accordingly, he prays for enlarging the applicant on regular bail. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State/respondent would oppose the bail application and submit that the charge-sheet has been filed in the present case before the competent Court and the applicant has no criminal antecedents in the State of M.P. She would further submit that the quantity of contraband article i.e. 25 3 kg Ganja recovered from the dickey of the car which belonged to the applicant, which is above the commercial quantity and as such, the applicant is not entitled to be released on bail. 5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the case diary. 6. From perusal of the case diary, it transpires that the contraband article i.e. 25 kg Ganja recovered from the dickey of the car which belonged to the applicant is above the commercial quantity, further the applicant has failed to give explanation for the same and it cannot be a case of false implication, the trial is in progress, therefore, this Court is of the opinion that it is not a fit case to enlarge the applicant on regular bail. 7. Accordingly, the bail application of the applicant Manoj Kumar Mehra, involved in Crime No. 53/2022 (wrongly mentioned as 53/2025) registered at Police Station Singhoda, District Mahasamund (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Section 20(B) of Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act, is rejected. 8. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information. - Sd/-- Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) Chief Justice gouri