2026:CGHC:21124-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR CRA No. 2403 of 2025 Ram Prakash Kujur S/o Moharlal Kujur Aged About 28 Years R/o Siklima, Police Station Lundra, District- Surguja (C.G.)

... Appellant(s)

versus State of Chhattisgarh Through The Incharge Police Station Bhanupratappur, District- North Bastar Kanker (C.G.)

...Respondent(s)

(Cause-titles taken from Case Information System)

For Appellant : Mr. Ashok Kumar Verma, Senior Advocate, assisted by Mr. Ram Vifal Ram Rajwade and Mr. Gajendra Kumar Sahu, Advocates.

For Respondent/State : Mr. Saumya Rai, Deputy Government Advocate.

Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Ravindra Kumar Agrawal , Judge Judgment on Board Per Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice

06 .05.2026

1. Heard Mr. Ashok Kumar Verma, learned Senior Advocate, assisted by Mr. Ram Vifal Ram Rajwade and Mr. Gajendra Kumar Sahu, Digitally signed by BRIJMOHAN B M R O I R JM LE OHAN learned counsel for the appellant. Also heard Mr. Saumya Rai, learned MORLE Date:

2026.05.13

19:02:43 +0530 Deputy Government Advocate, appearing for the State/respondent.

2. Though the matter is listed today for hearing on I.A. No. 1 of 2025, application for suspension of sentence and grant of bail, however, considering that the appellant has been in custody since 25.05.2019, and with the consent of learned counsel for the parties, the appeal is taken up for final hearing.

3. The present criminal appeal has been preferred by the appellant/accused under Section 415(2) of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, “BNSS”), assailing the impugned judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 04.09.2025 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Bhanupratapupur, District North Bastar Kanker (C.G.) (hereinafter referred to as “the learned trial Court”) in Sessions Trial No. 25 of 2019, whereby the appellant has been convicted and sentenced as under:

4. Brief facts of the case are that, on the report lodged by the complainant, Ramlal Koreti (PW-1), regarding the missing of his daughter Kumari Kavita Koreti, Missing Person Report No. 09/2019 was registered at Police Station Bhanupratappur. During the course of investigation into the missing person case, Investigating Officer Sub- Inspector Lalit Singh Negi (PW-16), on 20.05.2019, on the basis of call detail records, went to Kirandul and interrogated the appellant Ram Prakash Kujur, who was then posted as a constable in E-Company, 16^th Battalion, Chhattisgarh Armed Force. As he failed to provide satisfactory information, he was brought to Police Station Bhanupratappur, where during interrogation he disclosed that he had a love affair with Kumari Kavita Koreti and had left her at the house of his friend Sanju Tirkey at Thakurpur, Ambikapur. On the basis of such disclosure, his memorandum/confessional statement was recorded in the presence of witnesses as Ex.P/14.

5. Thereafter, on the basis of the said disclosure statement, the appellant was taken to Ambikapur, where upon further interrogation on 22.05.2019, appellant Ram Prakash Kujur disclosed that he had taken his girlfriend Kumari Kavita Koreti to the bank of Tonahi Nala, assaulted her, strangulated her to death, and after killing her, informed his friend Sanju Tirkey and, along with him, buried the dead body.

6. The prosecution case further is that, upon such disclosure by the appellant regarding the incident, Investigating Officer Sub-Inspector Lalit Singh Negi (PW-16) prepared the inquest/excavation panchnama (Ex.P/6) in the presence of villagers and Panch witnesses for excavation at the place indicated by the appellant. Pursuant to the written order of the Sub-Divisional Officer, Ambikapur, excavation proceedings were carried out on 22.05.2019 in the presence of villagers. Prior to the excavation, Tahsildar Bhushan Singh Mandavi (PW-17) prepared the site panchnama (Ex.P/4) and the excavation panchnama (Ex.P/6). Thereafter, in the presence of the deceased’s father Ramlal Koreti and villagers, an order for exc