1 2026:CGHC:17272 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 1862 of 2026 Nadamuni Ravi S/o Shri Nadamuni Janardhan Rao Aged About 34 Years Ex CEO M/s Gananayak Cars Private Ltd. Raipur (C.G.) R/o Near Tagore School, Jhanda Chowk, Shivanand Nagar, Raipur, District- Raipur Chhattisgarh ...Applicant versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer, Police Station Amanaka, Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) ... Respondent For Applicant : Shri Ankit Singh, Advocate. For Respondent/State : Shri Soumya Rai, Dy.G.A. Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board 15/04/2026 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.136/2025 registered at Police Station Amanaka Raipur (C.G) for the offence punishable under Sections 316(4),316(5),318(4),336(3),340(2)) GOURI MUDALIAR Digitally signed by GOURI MUDALIAR Date: 2026.04.16 12:13:38 +0530 2 of BNS. 2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the complainant, namely Nikesh Sarkar, lodged a report dated 08.05.2025 alleging that the Applicant Nadmuni Ravi, while working as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, committed acts of cheating, breach of trust and forgery causing financial loss to the company. It is alleged that M/s Gananayak Cars Pvt. Ltd. is an authorised dealer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and deals in sale of new cars, demo cars and exchange vehicles. Demo cars are financed by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India Pvt. Ltd. (MBFSI) and, upon sale of such demo vehicles, the sale proceeds are required to be remitted to MBFSI within five days, failing which penal interest is levied. The FIR alleges that during an audit conducted by MBFSI in February 2025, the Applicant falsely informed the audit team that nine demo vehicles had not been sold, whereas verification from the RTO revealed that the said vehicles had already been sold. It is further alleged that instead of depositing the sale proceeds of the demo vehicles into the company's HDFC Bank account, the Applicant received the amounts in the company's ICICI Bank account and failed to remit the same to MBFSI within the stipulated period. The prosecution further alleges that due to the Applicant's acts, MBFSI levied penal interest of approximately ₹26,75,000/-, thereby causing financial loss to the company. It is also alleged that in order to conceal the said irregularities and to mislead MBFSI, the Applicant tampered with company records, edited ledger entries and bank statements, and prepared forged documents showing altered payment dates, which were allegedly sent to MBFSI through the email ID of another employee. On the basis of the said allegations, 3 the police registered FIR Crime No. 0136/2025 dated 08.05.2025 at Police Station Amanaka, Raipur, for offences punishable under Sections 316(4), 318, 336(3) and 340(2) of BNS, 2023. 3. Learned counsel submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in a case arising out of a purely commercial dispute. The allegations in the FIR are vague, general, and do not disclose the essential ingredients of the offences alleged. It is further submitted that the applicant, though working as CEO, had no control over the company’s bank accounts or financial transactions, which were exclusively handled by the Managing Director. The alleged financial irregularities were committed by the Managing Director, and the applicant has been made a scapegoat. He would submit that the charge sheet has been filed in this case, the applicant is in jail since 04/02/2026 and conclusion of trial will take some time, therefore, he prays for grant of bail to the applicant. 4. On the other hand, learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and he would submit that charge sheet has been filed in this case before the competent court. 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, submission of learned counsel for the parties, nature of allegation levelled against the applicant, period of detention of the applicant since 04/02/2026, charge sheet has been filed and also considering the fact that trial is likely to take some time for its conclusion, without commenting anything on the merits of the case, this Court is of the 4 view that the applicant is entitled to be released on bail in this case. 7. Accordingly, the bail application is allowed and it is directed that the Applicant- Nadamuni Ravi, involved in Crime No.136/2025 registered at Police Station Amanaka Raipur (C.G) for the offence punishable under Sections 316(4),316(5),318(4),336(3),340(2)) of BNS, be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond with two sureties in the like sum to the satisfaction of the Court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he 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 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 applicant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through his counsel. In case of his absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against him under Section 269 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iii) In case, the applicant misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure his presence, proclamation under Section 84 of BNSS. is issued and the applicant fails to appear before the court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against him, in accordance with law, under Section 209 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. (iv) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of 5 charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 351 of BNSS. If in the opinion of the trial court absence of the applicant is 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 him in accordance with law. 8. Office is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court for necessary information and compliance. Sd/- (Ramesh Sinha) CHIEF JUSTICE gouri