IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK ABLAPL No.3376 of 2026 Ganesh Behera …. Petitioner(s) Mr. Achyutananda Pattanaik, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha …. Opposite Party(s) Mr. Jateswar Naik, AGA CORAM: JUSTICE SIBO SANKAR MISHRA Order No. ORDER 27.04.2026 01. 1. Heard. 2. The petitioner is seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with Chandpur P.S. Case No.45 of 2026 corresponding to G.R. Case No.96 of 2026 registered on the allegation of the commission of offences under Sections 115(2)/118(2)/126(2)/332(c)/351(2)/74/75 of B.N.S., 2023 pending in the Court of the learned J.M.F.C., Ranpur, Nayagarh. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner, on instruction from the petitioner, submits that, except the present bail application, no other bail application of the petitioner is pending in any other Court relating to the aforesaid F.I.R. 4. On 25.02.2026 at about 8:00 p.m., the informant appeared at the Police Station and lodged a written report, inter alia stating that on the same day at about 9:30 a.m., the accused, Ganesh Behera (the present petitioner), a resident of her village, assaulted her by means of fist blows, subjected her to sexual harassment by outraging her modesty, and also threatened her with dire consequences. Hence, this case. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner relying upon various judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, submits that the alleged offence prescribes the sentence lesser than seven years. However, learned counsel for the State opposes the prayer for anticipatory bail. 6 Regard being had to the nature of offence, the sentence prescribed for the alleged offence, it is expected that the Arresting Officer/Investigating Agency shall scrupulously and meticulously follow the guidelines and terms of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Arnesh Kumar vrs. State of Bihar and another reported in (2014) 8 SCC 273 and Satender Kumar Antil vrs. CBI reported in (2021) 10 SCC 773. 7. With this observation, the ABLAPL is disposed of. (S.S. Mishra) Judge Swarna