VIKESH CHAURASIA @ BIKESH KUMAR CHAURASIA vs STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

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CGHC010333452026 2026:CGHC:38890
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
MCRCA No.1440 of 2026
Vikesh Chaurasia @ Bikesh Kumar Chaurasia S/o Ramji
Chaurasia Aged About 27 Years R/o House No.280, Indira Colony,
Mandir Hasaud, Tehsil And Police Station Mandir Hasaud, District
Raipur (C.G.) ... Applicant
versus
State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, Police
Station Singhoda, District Mahasamund (C.G.) ... Non-Applicant
For Applicant : Mr. Virendra Kashyap, Advocate.
For Non-applicant/State : Ms. Monika Thakur, PL.
Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice
Order on Board
02.09.2026
1. This anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by
the Applicant who is apprehending his arrest in connection
with Crime No.04/2026 registered at Police Station –
SISTLA
NEELIMA
VISHNU
PRIYA
Singhoda, District Mahasamund (C.G.) for the offences
punishable under Sections 110, 125(a), 287 and 3(5) of BNS
Digitally signed by
SISTLA NEELIMA
VISHNU PRIYA
Date: 2026.09.02
17:36:26 +0530

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as also under Section 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public
Property Act, 1984 and Section 8(b) of National Highways
Act, 1956.
2.
As per the prosecution story, on 12.01.2026, complainant
Jadhav Pradhan reached near Sant Vastraalaya at Chhuipali
Chowk and noticed a vehicle carrying about 50–60 LPG gas
cylinders proceeding from Singhoda towards Saraipali. It is
alleged that while the vehicle was being driven on NH-53 at
Village Chhuipali, the driver, by acting negligently and in
violation of the prescribed safety precautions for
transportation of inflammable substances, caused the LPG
cylinders to catch fire and explode. The incident allegedly
created a serious threat to the lives and safety of persons
travelling on the National Highway, nearby vehicles, houses
and shops and also caused damage to the highway
infrastructure, resulting in disruption of traffic for about 6–7
hours. On being asked, the driver disclosed his name as
Shailendra Singh Chauhan, his associate as the present
Applicant and the vehicle owner as Manish Nabariya. It is
further alleged that Shailendra Singh Chauhan sustained
burn injuries to his face and both hands in the incident. The
prosecution alleges that despite being aware of the risks
involved in transporting LPG cylinders and the possibility of

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fire or explosion upon violation of the prescribed safety
norms, the accused persons negligently transported the
cylinders, resulting in the fire and explosion and thereby
endangering the lives of persons travelling on and residing
around the National Highway, amounting to an attempt to
cause culpable homicide. Based on these allegations, the
offences as mentioned above have been registered against
the present Applicant. Hence, this application.
3.
Learned Counsel for the Applicant submits that the Applicant
is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present
case. He submits that the Applicant was merely a
companion/helper in the pickup vehicle bearing registration
No. CG-04-PZ-9485 and was not the driver and that the FIR
attributes the alleged negligent transportation and handling of
LPG cylinders primarily to co-accused Shailendra Singh
Chouhan, who was the driver at the relevant time. It is further
submitted that co-accused Shailendra Singh Chouhan has
already been granted anticipatory bail by this Court vide order
dated 09.02.2026 passed in MCRCA No.201/2026, while co-
accused Devilal Joshi and Pukhraj Joshi have also been
granted regular bail vide orders dated 17.03.2026 and
06.04.2026 passed in MCRC Nos.1549/2026 and 3060/2026,
respectively and therefore the Applicant is entitled to the

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benefit of parity. He further submits that the investigation
has been completed and the charge-sheet has been filed,
hence custodial interrogation of the Applicant is no longer
required. He further submits that the rejection of the
Applicant's earlier anticipatory bail application by the learned
First Additional Sessions Judge, Saraipali, vide order dated
10.08.2026, mainly on the ground of alleged abscondence
and prima facie involvement, deserves reconsideration in
view of the subsequent circumstances and the bail granted to
the co-accused by this Court. It is lastly submitted that the
trial is likely to take considerable time for its conclusion,
therefore, the Applicant may be granted anticipatory bail.
4.
Per contra, learned State Counsel opposes the anticipatory
bail application.
5. Considering the submissions advanced by learned Counsel
for the parties, the material available in the case diary, the
nature of allegations, the fact that the Applicant was allegedly
only a companion/helper in the vehicle and was not the driver,
co-accused Shailendra Singh Chouhan, who was the driver of
the vehicle at the relevant time, has already been granted
anticipatory bail by this Court vide order dated 09.02.2026
passed in MCRCA No.201/2026 and the trial is likely to take
considerable time for its conclusion, without further

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commenting anything upon the merits of the case, this Court
is of the considered opinion that it is a fit case to grant
anticipatory bail to the Applicant.
6. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed
that in the event of arrest of the Applicant – Vikesh
Chaurasia @ Bikesh Kumar Chaurasia on executing a
personal bond with one surety in the like sum to the
satisfaction of the arresting Officer, he shall be released on
bail on the following conditions:-
(a) The Applicant/s shall not directly or indirectly
make any inducement, threat or promise to any
person acquainted with the facts of the case so as
to dissuade him/her/them from disclosing such
fact to the Court.
(b) The Applicant/s shall not act in any manner
which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious
trial.
(c) The Applicant/s shall appear before the trial
Court on each and every date given to
him/her/them by the said Court till disposal of the
trial.
(d)The Applicant/s and the surety shall submit a
copy of his/her/their adhaar card along with a
colored postcard full size photo having printed the
adhaar number on it, which shall be verified by
the trial Court.
(e)The Applicant/s shall not involve
himself/herself/themselves in any offence of
similar nature in future.
Sd/-
(Ramesh Sinha)
CHIEF JUSTICE
Priya