2026:CGHC:670 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR MCRC No. 10518 of 2025 Raju Kumar S/o Patiraj Aged About 40 Years (Old Age Not Mentioned In Cause Title Of A/1) R/o Ward No. 14 Village Tengni Patelpara Girjapur Baikunthpur, District : Koriya (Baikunthpur), Chhattisgarh.

... Applicant versus State of Chhattisgarh Through Officer In Charge, Anti Corruption Bureau, District : Surguja (Ambikapur), Chhattisgarh.

... Non-Applicant For Applicant : Ms. Chetna Sharma, Advocate For Non-Applicant/State : Ms. Vaishali Mahilong, Dy. Govt. Advocate Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice

Order on Board

06.01.2026

1. The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section

483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 58/2025, registered at Police Station – Anti Corruption Bureau, District : Surguja (Ambikapur), (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 07 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act, Amended, 2018.

RAHUL DEWANGAN Digitally

2. The prosecution case, in brief, is that a complaint was lodged signed by RAHUL DEWANGAN alleging that the main accused, ASI P. Toppo, was demanding illegal gratification for investigating a crime. Upon receipt of the complaint, the ACB provided a voice recorder to the complainant, and the demand of bribe amounting to Rs.12,000/- by ASI P. Toppo was recorded. Thereafter, the ACB constituted a trap team, pursuant to which the complainant went to meet ASI P. Toppo to hand over the bribe amount. At that time, ASI P. Toppo directed the complainant to hand over the bribe amount to the present applicant. Accordingly, the tainted amount was handed over to the present applicant, who was caught red-handed by the ACB team. Consequently, Crime No. 58/2025 was registered at Police Station EOW/ACB, Raipur for offences punishable under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

Hence, the present bail application has been filed.

3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the alleged incident. It is submitted that the applicant is the sole bread earner of his family, working as a para-legal volunteer, and is the only person to look after his wife and two minor children. She also submits that on the date of the incident, the applicant was discharging his official duties and, on the directions of his superior officer, namely the co-accused ASI Policarp Toppo, he received the amount from the complainant without having any knowledge of the alleged illegal transaction between the co-accused and the complainant. A bare perusal of the charge-sheet itself reveals that the co-accused has admitted that he had directed the present applicant to receive the amount and hand it over to him. The applicant neither demanded nor accepted any bribe for himself, and had no independent role in the alleged offence, having merely acted in obedience to the instructions of his superior. It is further submitted that applicant has no criminal antecedents, the charge-sheet has already been filed and he is in jail since 17.10.2025. Therefore, she prays for the grant of regular bail to the applicant.

4. On the other hand, the learned State Counsel opposes the bail application and submits that the present applicant was caught red- handed while accepting the tainted bribe amount on the directions of the main accused, ASI P. Toppo, which clearly establishes his active role in the demand and acceptance of illegal gratification. It is submitted that the demand has been duly recorded, the trap proceedings were successful, and the recovery of tainted money from the possession of the applicant is supported by prima facie evidence. Considering the seriousness of the offences under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the manner in which the offence was committed, and the impact on public confidence in the administration, the accused is n