Vinay Arora vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh

NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2026:MPHC-IND:17463
1 MCRC-23198-2026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
AT INDORE

BEFORE
HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE PAVAN KUMAR DWIVEDI
nd
ON THE 2 OF JULY, 2026
MISC. CRIMINAL CASE No. 23198 of 2026
VINAY ARORA
Versus
THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH
Appearance:
Shri Aman Malviya - Advocate for the applicant.
Shri Surendra Singh Alawa - G.A for the respondent/State.
ORDER
This is first bail application under Section 482 of BNSS for grant of
anticipatory bail in connection with crime No.205/2026 registered at Police
Station Kotwali District Dewas (MP) for offence punishable under Sections
308 (5), 308(6), 61 (2) and 3 (5) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
2. The applicant is a journalist associated with Tehelka Digital News
and has been engaged in public interest journalism for several years. The
applicant and his Media Team conducted Sting Operations exposing illegal
Prenatal Sex Determination, unlawful Abortions and Female Foeticide being
carried out in various Nursing Homes and Hospitals in District Dewas (MP),
in violation of the provisions of Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic
Techniques Act, 1994 and Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
2.1 In the backdrop of these investigations, several First Information
Reports were registered against the applicant bearing Crimes Number 194,
Signature Not Verified
Signed by: PRAMOD
KUSHWAHA
Signing time: 02-07-2026
17:12:38

NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2026:MPHC-IND:17463
2 MCRC-23198-2026
195, 204 of 2026 at Police Station Kotwali, Dewas, District Dewas. The

present application is against order passed by the learned trial Court on
11.05.2026 (Annexure A/1) in Bail Application No.510 of 2026 with respect
to Crime No.205 of 2026. The case was registered against the present
applicant under Section 308 (6), 308(5), 61 (2) and 3 (5) of Bhartiya Nyaya
Sanhita, 2023. The present applicant is innocent and has been falsely
implicated in the present matter due to mala fide intentions, it amounts to
abuse of criminal justice machinery and retaliatory actions initiated only
after the applicant exposed a large illegal Female Foeticide Racket through
investigative Journalism.
3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the
present applicant, after conducting a Sting Operation, had provided the entire
material of the operation including the Video Recording (s) to the concerned
persons in her News Channel, who in turn on 06.04.2026, 07.04.2026 and
10.04.2026 sent those Videos to the Commissioner, Health Department,
Madhya Pradesh, the Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC), the Director General of Police (DGP) Madhya Pradesh and the
Chief Medical & Health Officer (CM&HO), Dewas. It is only after sending
the information and videos to these Officers on 07.04.2026, FIR at Crime
No.205 of 2026 was registered against the present applicant and other
persons by alleging that the applicant and other persons are hatching a
conspiracy tried to extort money from the complainant. He submits that in
fact before the registration of FIR, the information regarding Sting Operation
with complete Video was already sent to the responsible officers. Thus,
Signature Not Verified
Signed by: PRAMOD
KUSHWAHA
Signing time: 02-07-2026
17:12:38

NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2026:MPHC-IND:17463
3 MCRC-23198-2026
there is no possibility of extorting money when the information was already

sent to the Higher Officers of the State of Madhya Pradesh. He submits that
one of the co-accused namely Shrikant @ Bhau has already been enlarged on
bail by order dated 28.04.2026 (Annexure A/8) passed in Miscellaneous
Criminal Case No.19820 of 2026. He further submits that one of the co-
accused has approached the Hon'ble Apex Court by filing petition for Special
Leave to Appeal (Criminal) No(s).9645 of 2026 (Anuj Agrawal v. The State
of Madhya Pradesh & others) in which an interim order has been passed on
26.05.2026 whereby authorities are restrained from taking any coercive steps
against the petitioner therein.
3.1 Learned counsel for the applicant further submits that the present
applicant has been harassed for the reason that she acted in public interest
and carried out Sting Operation against the complainant. On these grounds,
learned counsel prays that the applicant deserves to be enlarged on bail.
4. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondent / State vehemently
opposes the prayer for grant of bail by submitting that the allegation against
the applicant is serious in nature, as she has tried to blackmail the
complainant by recording video(s). Hence, it is submitted that application
for grant of bail deserves to be rejected.
5. After considering the rival submissions made by the learned
counsel for the parties and on perusal of the case diary, particularly taking
into account the fact that on 06.04.2026 (Annexure A/2), the video of Sting
Operation was already sent to the Commissioner, Health Department,
Madhya Pradesh, Chairperson of NHRC, DGP of Madhya Pradesh as well as
Signature Not Verified
Signed by: PRAMOD
KUSHWAHA
Signing time: 02-07-2026
17:12:38

NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2026:MPHC-IND:17463
4 MCRC-23198-2026
CM&HO, Dewas and on 06/07.04.2026, it was sent to CMHO, Dewas and

only after that FIR was registered on 07.04.2026, this Court is inclined to
allow this application.
6. Accordingly, without commenting on the merits of the case, the bail
application for grant of bail filed on behalf of applicant is allowed. It is
directed that in the event of arrest, present applicant shall be released on bail,
upon his executing a personal bond in the sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty
Thousand Only) and furnishing one solvent surety in the like amount to the
satisfaction of the Arresting Officer (Investigating Officer).
7. The applicant shall make himself available for interrogation by a
Police Officer, as and when required. He shall further abide by the other
conditions enumerated in Sub Section (2) of Section 438 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973.
8. With the aforesaid, the application is allowed and disposed of.
Cc as per rules.
(PAVAN KUMAR DWIVEDI)
JUDGE
PK

Signature Not Verified
Signed by: PRAMOD
KUSHWAHA
Signing time: 02-07-2026
17:12:38