Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:3974 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 9409 of 2019 Prakash Chandra Das, S/o Gouri Shankar Das, R/o Alagdiha, P.O.- Makatpur, P.S.- Jainagar, Dist.- Koderma. --- --- Petitioner Versus 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 Bharti, Adv. --- 28/06.02.2026 Heard Mrs. Ritu Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. Deepak Kumar Bharti, learned counsel appearing for the CBI. 2. In this application, the petitioner has prayed for grant of anticipatory bail as he is apprehending his arrest in connection with R.C. Case No. 4(A)/2013-R registered for the offences under Sections 120B read with 201/420/468/471 IPC and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. 3. The prosecution case reveals that the accused public servants along with a private person, i.e., Dhiraj Kumar (petitioner) of M/s Global Informatics had entered into a criminal conspiracy amongst themselves and in furtherance of the same, the public servants in strict abuse of their respective official positions dishonestly and fraudulently manipulated/allowed to manipulate the merit list assessment charts. It has further been alleged that during JET 2006, the merit list was manipulated by Dhiraj Kumar under the guidance and influence of JPSC officials in order to extend undue benefits to certain candidates who were dishonestly and fraudulently declared qualified even though they had secured less marks than the candidates who even after securing more marks, could not qualify. It has also been Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:3974 2 alleged that marks in the assessment charts of a number of candidates obtained during interview were increased to extend undue favor to them which facilitated their selection as lecturers. 4. It has been submitted by Mrs. Ritu Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner that on completion of investigation, charge sheet has been submitted by the CBI. It has further been submitted that some of the co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in A.B.A. No. 3349 of 2022 and its analogous cases. Mrs. Ritu Kumar adds that the petitioner, on being successful in the entire examination process was selected on merit and, was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science. The petitioner was not named in the First Information Report and though his name has transpired in course of investigation by the CBI, but there does not appear to be any iota of evidence which would indicate about the complicity of the petitioner in securing his job by benefiting from the manipulations carried out by the JPSC officials. 5. Mr. Deepak Kumar Bharti, learned counsel for the CBI has opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioner and has submitted that in course of investigation, the role of the petitioner has surfaced and the entire transactions reveal that he has been a beneficiary to the effect that he had received 117 marks in the IIIrd Paper of JET examination, whereas the minimum marks required was 120 marks. 6. Admittedly, the charge sheet has been submitted by the CBI and some of the co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in A.B.A. No. 3349 of 2022. 7. On consideration of the entire gamut of allegations, the findings recorded in the charge sheet and the fact that Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:3974 3 some of the co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail as noted above, the petitioner is directed to surrender before the learned trial court within a period of four weeks, and on his surrender, he 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. Case No. 4(A)/2013-R, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 8. This application stands allowed. 9. Pending I.A.(s), if any, stands closed. (Rongon Mukhopadhyay, J.) Dated- 6th February, 2026. Preet/- Uploaded on: 16 /02/2026.