2026:JHHC:4104 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 52 of 2020 Shatrughan Kumar Pandey @ Shatrughna Kumar Pandey, son of Shri Ganeshwar Pandey, residing at Mission School Road, Hazaribagh, P.O. & P.S. Hazaribagh, District Hazaribagh. … … Petitioner Versus The Union of India through CBI … Opposite Party ------- CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RONGON MUKHOPADHYAY ------- For the Petitioner: Mrs. Ritu Kumar, Adv. For the CBI : Mr. Deepak Kumar Bharati, Adv. ------- 09/06.02.2026 Heard Mrs. Ritu Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. Deepak Kumar Bharati, learned counsel appearing for the C.B.I. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with R.C.4(A)/2013-R registered for the offences under Sections 120B r/w Sections 201, 420, 468 and 471 of I.P.C. and Section 13(2) r/w Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. It has been alleged that the officials of JPSC along with Sri Dhiraj Kumar, representative of M/s Global Informatics, Ranchi had entered into criminal conspiracy among themselves and in pursuance thereof, the public servants in strict abuse of their respective official positions, dishonestly and fraudulently manipulated / allowed to manipulate the merit list, assessment charts, etc. of the examination/interview to extend undue benefit to their preferred candidates. It has been submitted by Mrs. Ritu Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner that the CBI on completion of the investigation has submitted charge sheet. It has further been submitted that some of the co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in A.B.A. No. 3349/2022 and its analogous cases. Learned counsel adds that the petitioner has been implicated on the allegation that he is a beneficiary to the illegal transactions and manipulations carried out by the JPSC officials in connivance with the petitioner. 2 Mr. Deepak Kumar Bharati, learned counsel for the CBI has opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioner and has submitted that though the petitioner had secured 51 marks for his career and 30 marks for interview, but the CFSL deciphered that the petitioner had initially been given 20 marks by one expert which has been manipulated to 38 marks in the assessment chart. Admittedly, charge sheet has been submitted by the CBI and several of the co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in A.B.A. No. 3349/2022 and its analogous cases. On consideration of the aforesaid facts, I am inclined to extend the privilege of anticipatory bail to the petitioner. Accordingly, he is directed to surrender before the learned court below within a period of four weeks and on his surrender, she shall be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Special Judge, CBI, Ranchi in connection with R.C.4(A)/2013-R, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This application stands allowed. Pending interlocutory application(s), if any, stand(s) closed. (Rongon Mukhopadhyay, J.) Dated: 06.02.2026 Shamim/- Uploaded on: 16/02/2026