Anticipatory bail granted on grounds of parity for alleged violations of cattle preservation and cruelty laws.

The applicant sought anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in connection with Crime No. 275/2025

The prosecution alleged that on 09.08.2025, the applicant and others were transporting nine cattle in a pick-up vehicle for slaughter

Upon being intercepted by a cow vigilante group, the accused persons fled the scene

The applicant contended that he was falsely implicated, possessed no criminal antecedents, and sought parity with co-accused persons who had already been granted bail

1. Whether the applicant is entitled to the protection of anticipatory bail under the principle of parity with co-accused persons who were granted similar relief

The Court applied the provisions of Section 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (governing anticipatory bail)

Substantive charges were perused under Sections 4, 6, and 10 of the Chhattisgarh Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act, 2004; Section 11(1)(a) and (d) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; and Sections 351(3) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)

The court also relied on the judicial principle of parity in bail matters

The Court examined the facts of the case alongside the procedural history of the co-accused

It noted that the main accused, Heeralal Yadav, had already been granted regular bail

Furthermore, three other co-accused persons—Ravi Yadav, Girdhari Patel, and Raju Kumar Yadav—had been granted anticipatory bail by the High Court in previous applications (MCRCA Nos. 1333, 1409, and 1496 of 2025)

Given that the allegations against the current applicant were similar to those against the already protected co-accused, and in light of the applicant's lack of criminal history, the Court determined that the grounds for parity were satisfactorily established

The holding directed that in the event of arrest, the applicant be released upon executing a personal bond with two local sureties, subject to conditions: non-interference with witnesses, regular attendance at trial, submission of Aadhaar-verified photographs, and an undertaking not to commit similar future offences