2026:CGHC:4351 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRCA No. 100 of 2026 Reserved on : 21.01.2026 Delivered on : 27.01.2026

1 - Baniz Bai Kosma, W/o Shri Bhaduram Kosma, Aged About 48 Years R/o H.No. 55, Ward No. 16, Matari Bhavmara, District Balod C.G.

2 - Rewa Ravate, S/o Shri Santuram Ravate, Aged About 46 Years R/o House No. 20, Ward No. 2, Indira Chowk, Bharritola (36) Daundi, District Balod C.G.

... Applicant (s)

versus State of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer, Police Station City Kotwali District Durg C.G.

... Respondent For Applicants : Mr. B.P. Sharma, Mr. Sameer Uraon & Mr. M.L.

Sakat, Advocates.

For Respondent : Mr. Sanjeev Pandey, Deputy Advocate General.

Hon'ble Shri Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas

CAV ORDER

1. This is the first bail application filed by the applicants filed under Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of anticipatory bail, who have apprehension of being arrested in connection with Crime No. 213/2021 registered at Police Station- City Kotwali Durg, District- Durg (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 34 of IPC.

2. The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that the applicants were ARUN KUMAR DEWANGAN

ARUN KUMAR

DEWANGAN

Date: 2026.01.27

Directors of the Jila Sahakari Kendriya Bank Maryadit Durg (for short “the Bank”) and Mr. Pritpal Belchandan was Chairman of the Bank. It is also case of the prosecution that the Board of Directors (BoD), from 08.04.2014 to 12.05.2020 has embezzled Rs. 1313.50 lakh in the name of construction of godown and from 05.08.2016 to 12.06.2019, they granted benefit to some particular persons in 186 cases in One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme granting them waiver of Rs. 175.61 lakh causing huge financial loss to the Bank thereby the applicants and members of Board of Directors of the Bank embezzled total Rs. 1489.11 Lakh. The Board of Directors by violating rules and procedures has caused loss to the Bank.

3. It is also case of the prosecution that with regard to alleged financial irregularity, complaint was made by Raviprakash Tamrakar, Bank representative, (Vrahattakar Seva Sahkari Samiti Maryadit, Nankatthi, Distt. Durg) to the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, State of Chhattisgarh, thereafter as per order dated 27.10.2020 of Collector/Authorized Officer, Jila Sahkari Kentriya Bank Maryadit, Durg, the matter was enquired by a team of three officials including the Upper Collector, Durg. Aforesaid enquiry team gave its enquiry report dated 03.02.2021 and on the basis of that enquiry report, on being directed by the Collector, Durg, written complaint was made against the Chairman and present applicants, who were Members of the Board of Directors of the Bank. Based on that written complaint, the offence under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the applicants.

4. Learned counsel for the applicants would submit that the applicants are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the crime in question. He would further submit that against the Chairman proceeding for the same issue has already been initiated under Section 53 (3) of the Co- operative Societies Act and show-cause notice has been issued to the Chairman and the then members of Board of Directors on 11.07.2019 by the Registrar, Cooperative Societies of Chhattisgarh, in which reply has been filed by the applicants and thereafter the matter has not been proceeded further by the Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Raipur.

5. He would further submit that the decisions regarding construction of godowns as well as grant of One Time Settlement (OTS) benefits were taken collectively by the Board of Directors in duly convened meetings and strictly in accordance with the applicable rules, guidelines and circulars issued by the Reserve Bank of India and Cooperative Department. The applicants, being only the Directors, had no individual role in execution of works or sanction of individual OTS cases. He would further subm