LOVEJEET SINGH Vs. STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This first anticipatory bail application under Sec. 482 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by the applicant, who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No. 96/2025 registered at Police Station - City Kotwali, Mungeli District - Mungeli (C.G.) for the offences punishable under Ss. 318(4), 308(2), 3(5), 61 and 111 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

(2.) The prosecution's case, based on the complainant's written complaint to the City Kotwali Mungeli Police Station, is that in August 2024, the complainant's acquaintances Nehal Singh Sandhu, Ayush Shriwas, and Gurvinder Singh @ Laddu, directors of One Black Hole Event Company, assured him of good profits if he invested in their events. The complainant invested money in the company based on their assurance and discussions with Ayush Thakur, Ayush Pratap Singh @ Sameer Thakur, and Raju Sahu. After an event organized by Black Hole Event Company, Nehal Singh Sandhu, Ayush Shriwas, and Gurvinder Singh Sandhu informed the complainant that they suffered significant losses, and a dispute arose with Ayush Thakur, Ayush Pratap Singh, and Raju Sahu regarding financial transactions. Subsequently, Ayush Thakur, Ayush Pratap Singh, Raju Sahu, Divyansh Thakur, Vijendra Jagtap, Lovejeet Singh (the present applicant), and Vasu Pandey demanded money from the complainant and threatened him. Despite the complainant's repeated assertions that he was not involved in the event, they continued to threaten him. At knife point, they forced him to speak with someone on the phone at Swarn Vatika Mungeli, who demanded money and threatened to kill him and his family, claiming affiliation with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The co-accused person, Suraj Singh Makkad, pressured the complainant's mother and the complainant into executing a registered sale deed. He asked the complainant's mother to withdraw Rs.9.00 lakhs from the bank on 22/1/2025, from the sale consideration. Suraj Singh Makkad also took four blank cheques from ICICI Bank Mungeli and three blank cheques from Axis Bank Mungeli belonging to their firm, Siddharth Fuels. Raghvendra Pratap Singh Thakur withdrew money from the Siddharth Fuels' bank account (cheque no. 047616) by forging the signature of the complainant's mother. The accused individuals, including Lovejeet Singh (the present applicant) and Suraj Singh Makkad, are known to each other and have forcefully taken the Rin Pustika belonging to the complainant's mother and him. They continue to threaten them, claiming affiliation with Lawrence Bishnoi. On January 3, 2025, they pressured the complainant to execute an agreement with Pradeep Singh for land already sold to Suraj Singh Makkad. Based on this report, the FIR was registered, and the matter is under investigation.

(3.) Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case. He submits that the other co-accused persons, namely, Pradeep Singh and Suraj Singh Makkad have already been granted anticipatory bail by this Hon'ble Court in MCRCA No. 466 of 2025 and MCRCA No. 529 of 2025 vide orders dtd. 4/4/2025 and 23/4/2025. Therefore, he submits that the present applicant is also entitled to be released on anticipatory bail on the ground of parity.