Man Accused Of Carrying 8.46 Kg Ganja Gets Bail As Chhattisgarh HC Cites Filed Chargesheet, No Criminal Antecedents

The applicant sought regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in connection with a prosecution under Section 20(b) of the NDPS Act.

The prosecution alleged that, during rural patrolling on 19 August 2026, police intercepted the applicant riding a motorcycle and seized eight packets containing 8.460 kg of ganja.

He was arrested that day.

His first bail application had been withdrawn with liberty to apply afresh after the charge-sheet was filed.

In the present application, the applicant denied possession and submitted that he had no criminal antecedents; the State did not dispute the absence of antecedents.

The charge-sheet had been filed by the time of the hearing.

Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, was the statutory basis for the application for regular bail; Section 20(b) of the NDPS Act was the provision under which the applicant was charged.

The Court identified no precedent or further legal test in its reasoning.

It considered the filing of the charge-sheet and the absence of criminal antecedents as relevant circumstances in deciding the application.

The Court considered the competing submissions, the case materials, and the fact that the charge-sheet had been filed.

It also took account of the applicant’s lack of criminal antecedents, which the State did not dispute.

On those circumstances, and without expressing any view on the merits of the case, the Court found it appropriate to grant bail.

Bail was subject to conditions concerning adjournments when witnesses are present, attendance before the trial court, and personal appearance on specified trial dates; the order also prescribed consequences for non-compliance.