MADAN SAI SIDAR vs STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

1

CGHC010319542026 2026:CGHC:38377
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
MCRCA No.1418 of 2026
Madan Sai Sidar S/o Late Heerasai Aged About 58 Years R/o
Village Kerju, Majhapara P. S. And Tehsil Sitapur District- Surguja
Chhattisgarh. ... Applicant
versus
State Of Chhattisgarh Through Station House Officer, P. S. Sitapur
District- Surguja Chhattisgarh. ... Non-Applicant
For Applicant : Mr. Nishikant Sinha, Advocate.
For Non-applicant/State : Mr. Jitendra Shrivastava, G.A.
Hon'ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice
Order on Board
31.08.2026
1. This anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by
SISTLA
NEELIMA
VISHNU
PRIYA
the Applicant who is apprehending his arrest in connection
Digitally signed by
SISTLA NEELIMA
VISHNU PRIYA
Date: 2026.09.01
11:35:59 +0530

2
with Crime No.188/2026 registered at Police Station –
Sitapur, District Surguja (C.G.) for the offences punishable
under Sections 318, 316(5), 61(2) and 3(5) of BNS.
2.
According to the case of the prosecution, pursuant to an
inquiry conducted in accordance with the directions of the
Collector, Surguja and on the basis of the report received
therein, Anand Singh, In-charge Chief Accountant,
Cooperative Bank, Ambikapur, lodged a written complaint
dated 27.05.2026 at Police Station Sitapur, District Surguja,
against the Applicant/accused and co-accused persons
namely Sumit Kumar, Shivshankar Soni, Deepak Kumar
Chakradhari, Sainath Kerketta, Bhupendra Singh, Jogiram,
Lalita Sinha and the then Committee Manager, Committee
Kerju. It is alleged that while being employees or authorized
officials posted at District Cooperative Central Bank, Branch
Petla, the accused persons forged the signatures of 127
farmers and in their names, sanctioned loans, thereby
committing fraud and misappropriated a sum of
Rs.1,92,82,096/-. 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

3
case. It is submitted that the Applicant is not a Government
servant and was appointed as an Authorized Officer in the
Bank only on 18.11.2024, whereas the alleged fraud pertains
to the period from 2020 to 2025. He further submits that the
main accused Dinesh Gupta, the then Bank Manager, had
allegedly forged the signatures of villagers as well as the
Applicant and obtained loans in their names and after the
fraud came to light, committed suicide. It is further submitted
that the Applicant neither participated in the alleged forgery
nor derived any monetary benefit therefrom and was merely
holding the post of Authorized Officer without receiving any
salary or honorarium. It is also submitted that although the
anticipatory bail applications of co-accused Sumit Kumar in
M.Cr.C.A. No.1046/2026, Shivshankar Soni in M.Cr.C.A.
No.1078/2026 and Bhupendra Singh in M.Cr.C.A.
No.1109/2026, who were employees of the Bank, have been
dismissed by this Court, co-accused Lalita Sinha in M.Cr.C.A.
No.1089/2026 and Jogiram in M.Cr.C.A. No.1145/2026 have
been granted anticipatory bail and Jogiram, who was also
working as an Authorized Officer prior to the Applicant, was
granted anticipatory bail and another co-accused Sainath
Kerketta has also been granted anticipatory bail vide order
dated 12.08.2026 passed in MCRCA No.1302/2026. It is,

4
lastly, submitted that the case of the Applicant is on parity and
the Applicant is suffering from age-related ailments, the trial is
likely to take considerable time for its conclusion, therefore,
he may be granted anticipatory bail on the ground of parity.
4.
Per contra, learned State Counsel opposes the bail
application and submits that serious allegations of fraud and
misappropriation of an amount exceeding Rs.1,92,82,000/-
have been levelled against the Applicant and co-accused
persons and that the role of the Applicant in the alleged
offence is subject to investigation. It is further submitted that
the anticipatory bail applications preferred by co-accused
Sumit Kumar, Shivshankar Soni and Bhupendra Singh, who
were employees of the Bank, have already been dismissed
by this Court in M.Cr.C.A. Nos.1046/2026, 1078/2026 and
1109/2026 respectively, therefore, the Applicant does not
deserve the benefit of anticipatory bail.
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
appointed as an Authorized Officer only on 18.11.2024,
whereas the alleged fraud relates to the period from 2020 to
2025, the fact that co-accused Jogiram, who was also
working as an Authorized Officer prior to the Applicant, has

5
already been granted anticipatory bail by this Court vide order
dated 20.07.2026 passed in M.Cr.C.A. No.1145/2026 and
another co-accused Sainath Kerketta has also been granted
anticipatory bail vide order dated 12.08.2026 passed in
MCRCA No.1302/2026, further considering the age and age-
related ailments of the Applicant and that the trial is likely to
take considerable time for its conclusion, without further
commenting on the merits of the case, this Court is of the
considered opinion that it is a fit case to extend the benefit of
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 – Madan Sai Sidar
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

6
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