The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted regular bail to two Punjab residents arrested in a liquor seizure case while expressing serious concern over incorrect information placed before the Court regarding one of the accused's alleged criminal history. The Court directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to re-examine the matter after finding that the police had wrongly reported multiple criminal antecedents against an applicant.
Background of the Case
The case arose from Crime No. 263/2025 registered at Police Station Jashpur under Sections 34(1) and 34(2) of the Chhattisgarh Excise Act. According to the prosecution, police intercepted a vehicle on 7 October 2025 following a CID tip-off and allegedly recovered 2,461.68 bulk litres of liquor valued at approximately ₹22.22 lakh.
The applicants, Ranvir Singh and Jagdeep Singh, sought regular bail, arguing that they had been falsely implicated, had remained in custody since October 2025, and that the trial was likely to take considerable time.
Court's Observations
Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha noted that the charge sheet had already been filed and that prolonged incarceration was not justified at this stage. The Court also took note that Jagdeep Singh had no criminal antecedents, while Ranvir Singh had only one previous case reported from Punjab.
The bench observed,
"The applicants are entitled to be released on bail in this case,"
considering the period of custody, the stage of investigation, and the expected delay in completion of the trial.
During the hearing, however, the Court discovered that an earlier submission by the State claiming Jagdeep Singh had 19 criminal antecedents was incorrect. An affidavit filed by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Jashpur, admitted that the information had been wrongly supplied by the investigating officer after a careless verification process.
Calling the lapse serious, the Court remarked that portraying a person as having multiple criminal cases when none existed could not be treated lightly. It found the departmental penalty of ₹500 imposed on the officer to be prima facie inadequate.
Court's Decision
The High Court allowed the bail application and directed the release of both applicants on furnishing personal bonds with two sureties each, subject to standard bail conditions. Separately, it ordered the Director General of Police to reconsider disciplinary action against the concerned official and seek an explanation from the Senior Superintendent of Police over the handling of the incorrect report. The matter was directed to be listed again for compliance.
Case Details:
Case Title: Ranvir Singh & Anr. v. State of Chhattisgarh
Case Number: MCRC No. 10544 of 2025
Judge: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice
Decision Date: 22 June
