Chhattisgarh HC Denies Bail To Alleged Gajanand App Gambling Syndicate Member, Citing Prima Facie Evidence And His Absconding

In brief

The question

Whether the applicant should be released on regular bail under Section 483 of the BNSS, having regard to the material collected concerning his alleged involvement in online gambling.

The court held

The Court declined to grant regular bail, finding prima facie material against the applicant and taking account of his prolonged abscondence.

It also directed

The first bail application under Section 483 BNSS was dismissed.

01Facts

The prosecution alleged that co-accused Harsh Panjwani operated online gambling through the Gajanand App and that other accused persons were involved in related gaming panels and money transactions through mule bank accounts.

¶ 1–4

Based on statements of co-accused and material recovered from mobile phones, the applicant was alleged to have obtained SIM cards in others’ names and participated in the gambling activity.

¶ 1–4

A charge-sheet was filed showing the applicant as absconding; he surrendered and was arrested on 7 September 2026.

¶ 1–4

He sought regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, relying, among other things, on the filing of the charge-sheet, lack of criminal antecedents, and bail granted to co-accused.

¶ 1–4

The State opposed bail, citing the alleged material connecting him to the activity and his period of abscondence.

¶ 1–4

02Issues

i.Whether the applicant should be released on regular bail under Section 483 of the BNSS, having regard to the material collected concerning his alleged involvement in online gambling.

¶ 1, 3–6

ii.Whether the applicant’s alleged abscondence and the circumstances of his arrest weighed against granting bail.

¶ 4, 6

03Law Applied

The application was considered under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which provides for the High Court’s or Court of Session’s power to grant bail.

¶ 1, 5–6

The alleged offences were registered under Sections 318(4), 61(2) and 112(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 4-A and 7 of the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2022.

¶ 1, 5–6

The Court assessed the bail request by considering the material collected during investigation, the allegations’ seriousness, and the applicant’s conduct, including his having remained absconding.

¶ 1, 5–6

Provisions in the judgment · 4 · Linked ones open on LawLens

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 Section 483

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 Section 318 Section 61 Section 112

04Reasoning

The Court found prima facie material in the charge-sheet connecting the applicant with the alleged online gambling syndicate, including the use of gaming panels and mule bank accounts.

¶ 3–6

It also considered that the applicant had remained absconding for a considerable period and was shown as absconding in the charge-sheet.

¶ 3–6

On that basis, the Court was not persuaded by the applicant’s submissions concerning the evidentiary link, the filing of the charge-sheet, or the bail granted to other accused persons.

¶ 3–6