Laden @ Anil Verma vs State Of Chhattisgarh

The applicant has preferred this First Bail Application under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for grant of regular bail, as he has been arrested in connection with Crime No. 99/2026, registered at Police Station Tilda Newra, District Raipur (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 109(1), 296, 115(2), 351(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

The case of the prosecution in brief is that on 04.03.2026, while the complainant Baldaau Yadu along with Ravi Yadav and other residents of the locality were celebrating Holi and singing Phag songs near Shani Temple at Tulsinawara, four accused persons, namely Laden @ Anil Verma (applicant), Manish Dhiver, Priyanshu Dhiver and Praveen Verma, allegedly came there and started abusing them and, when objected to, threatened them with dire consequences. Thereafter, at about 7:40 p.m., the said persons allegedly came again and assaulted the complainant and Ravi Yadav with hands and fists. It is further alleged that the present applicant, namely Laden @ Anil Verma, assaulted Ravi Yadav with a sharp-edged knife, causing a serious stab injury on the right side of his chest. Ravi Yadav/injured was initially taken to Government Hospital, Tilda and, thereafter, was referred to Om Hospital, Bahesar and subsequently to Mekahara Hospital, Raipur, where he remained admitted for treatment. On the basis of the report lodged by the complainant, the aforesaid offences were registered against the accused persons including the present applicant and after completion of investigation, charge-sheet has been filed before the competent Court.

Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. He would further submit that the incident occurred all of a sudden during the Holi festival and the injury sustained by the injured, though caused by a knife, was not sufficiently deep and did not cause any damage to the lung. He would contend that, therefore, the ingredients of Section 109 of the BNS are not prima facie made out. He would further submit that the applicant has no criminal antecedent, the charge-sheet has already been filed and he is in custody since 05.03.2026. He would also submit that the complainant has already been examined before the learned trial Court and the trial is likely to take some time. It is further contended that three co-accused persons have already been granted bail by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in MCRC No. 5999/2026 vide order dated 07.07.2026 and the case of the present applicant is substantially similar to that of the said co-accused persons. Accordingly, he prays for grant of bail.

On the other hand, learned State counsel opposes the prayer for grant of bail and submits that the specific allegation against the present applicant is that he inflicted a knife blow on the injured Ravi Yadav, causing a serious stab injury on the right side of his chest, pursuant to which the injured was referred to Mekahara Hospital, Raipur and remained hospitalized for about six days. He would further submit that, as per the medical opinion, the injury was life-threatening and had the injured not received immediate treatment after the incident, the injury could have resulted in his death. He would further submit that although three co-accused persons have been granted bail by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court but the allegation against them was only of assaulting the injured with hands and fists, whereas the present applicant is specifically alleged to have caused the knife injury to the injured. He would further submit that the complainant has already been examined before the learned trial Court and has supported the prosecution case regarding the assault committed by the present applicant with a knife. Thus, the case of the present applicant is clearly distinguishable from that of the co-accused persons and looking to the seriousness and gravity of the offence and the nature of injury caused, the bail application deserves to be rejected.

I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary and the material available on record.

Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, nature and gravity of the allegations alleged against the applicant, particularly the specific allegation that the present applicant inflicted a knife blow on the right side of the chest of injured Ravi Yadav, the fact that the injured was required to be referred to Mekahara Hospital, Raipur and remained hospitalized for about six days and the medical opinion indicating the life-threatening nature of the injury and the possibility of death in the absence of timely treatment and further considering that the complainant has already been examined before the learned trial Court and has supported the prosecution case with respect of present applicant, thus this Court is of the considered view that the case of the present applicant is distinguishable from that of the three co-accused persons who have been granted bail in MCRC No. 5999/2026 vide order dated 07.07.2026, as the allegation against the said co-accused persons was only of assault by hands and fists, whereas a specific allegation of causing a knife injury has been alleged against the present applicant. In view of the nature of the allegation, the seriousness of the injury and the evidence which has already come on record, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the applicant.

Accordingly, the bail application of the applicant namely- Laden @ Anil Verma, involved in Crime No. 99/2026, registered at Police Station Tilda Newra, District Raipur (C.G.), for the offence punishable under Sections 109(1), 296, 115(2), 351(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act., is rejected.

However, this Court hopes and trusts that the trial Court would make an earnest endeavour to conclude the trial expeditiously from the receipt of this order in accordance with law, if there is no legal impediment.

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