p. 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK ABLAPL No. 3138 of 2026 1. Jayanta Maharana 2. Saraswati Maharana 3. Samarendra Mohanty 4. Priyanka Das 5. Malaya Maharana 6. Manoranjan Maharana 7. Pratima Maharana 8. Purnachandra @ Basanta Kumar Maharana 9. Pankajini Maharana 10. Nirmala Behera 11. Pramila Behera 12. Bapi@ Krupasindhu Barik 13. Kartik @ Kartikeswar Barik …. Petitioners Mr. D. Sethy, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha …. Opposite Party Mr. S. Panigrahi, ASC CORAM: JUSTICE V. NARASINGH Order No. ORDER 27.04.2026 01. 1. Heard learned counsel for the Petitioners and learned counsel for the State. 2. The Petitioners are seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with C.T. Case No. 130 of 2026 pending on the file of learned S.D.J.M., Nilgiri, arising out of Nilgiri P.S. Case No. 112 of 2026 for commission of p. 2 offences punishable under Sections 126(2)/ 296/ 115(2)/ 74/ 351(2)/ 3(5) of BNS. 3. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the Petitioners that to wriggle out the accusation in the counter case, the Petitioners have been cited as accused. 4. It is submitted by the learned counsel that the genesis of the offence is on account of the skirmish which took place during the local festival known as “Dola Jatra”. Hence, it is stated that the Petitioners who are the first offenders may be protected by pre- arrest bail. 5. Learned counsel for the State opposes the prayer for pre-arrest bail. 6. Taking into account the nature of allegations, it is directed that on surrendering within three weeks hence and moving for bail, the Petitioners shall be released on bail by the learned Court in seisin on such terms as deemed just and proper subject to verification of criminal antecedent of similar nature. 7. If it comes to the fore that the Petitioners have any such criminal antecedent, this order shall not be given effect to. 8. It is needless to state that the Petitioners shall cooperate with the ongoing investigation. 9. The ABLAPL is accordingly disposed of. (V. NARASINGH) Judge Ayesha