p. 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK ABLAPL No.2677 of 2026 Rashmi Ranjan Jena …. Petitioner(s) Mr. Braja Mohan Sarangi, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha …. Opposite Party(s) Mr. Debaraj Mohanty, AGA CORAM: JUSTICE SIBO SANKAR MISHRA Order No. ORDER 05.05.2026 02. 1. Heard. 2. The petitioner is seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with Dhenkanal Sadar P.S. Case No.24 of 2026 corresponding to G.R. Case No.37 of 2026 registered for alleged commission of offences punishable under Sections 303(2)/317(2) of the BNS, 2023 r/w Section 21 of the Odisha Minor and Mineral Development Regulation Act, 1957, pending in the Court of the learned S.D.J.M., Dhenkanal. 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. p. 2 4. The allegation against the petitioner is that on 07.01.2026 at about 6.15 P.M., the complainant reported at the P.S. that on the same day at about 2.00 P.M., as per his direction vide Govindpur OP CC No.2072000 dated 07.01.2026, he along with other staff left Govindpur for day patrolling-cum-illegal minor minerals raid in Bolero vehicle bearing Regd. No.OD 05 M 0553. During patrolling, they got information from reliable source that laterite stone transporting was going on in Govindpur area in a Tata Eicher vehicle bearing Regd. No.OD06P-1993. On receipt of such information, immediately the police personnel proceeded to the spot. On seeing the police team, the driver fled away from the spot leaving behind his Tata Eicher loaded with laterite stone. Hence, the case. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is the owner of the vehicle, which has been used for transporting the laterite stone. Learned counsel further submits that the petitioner has no criminal antecedents. 6. Regard being had to the nature of allegations against the petitioner and the fact that the petitioner p. 3 does not have any criminal antecedents as stated by learned counsel for the petitioner, I am inclined to grant the petitioner anticipatory bail. Accordingly, it is directed that in the event the petitioner is arrested, he shall be released by the Arresting Officer subject to the verification of similar criminal antecedents, he shall cooperate with the investigation and shall appear before the I.O. as and when his presence is required for the purpose of investigation; he shall not indulge in similar criminal offences while on bail; he shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date of posting of the case, if not presented by sufficient cause. Violation of any of the conditions shall entail cancellation of bail. 7. The ABLAPL is accordingly disposed of. (S.S. Mishra) Judge Subhasis Designation: Personal Assistant Location: HIgh Court of Orissa, Cuttack.