Ajay Bhaktani Vs State of Chhattisgarh

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Digitally signed byMOHAMMED AADIL KHAN Date: 2026.07.28 14:37:19 +0530

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CGHC010242382026

2026:CGHC:31623

NAFR

HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR

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MCRCA No. 963 of 2026

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1 - Ajay Baktani S/o Nandlal Baktani, Aged About 31 Years, R/o Ward No.7, Chakarbhata Caimp Police Station Chakarbhata District- Bilaspur Chhattisgarh

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... Applicant

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versus

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1 - State of Chhattisgarh Through- Investigation Officer/ Police Station Chakarbhata District- Bilaspur Chhatisgarh,

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...Non-applicant

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(Cause-title taken from Case Information System)

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For Applicant : Mr. Manoj Paranjpe, Senior Advocate with Mr. Arpan Verma, Advocate. For State/Non-applicant : Ms. Isha Jajodiya, Panel Lawyer. Hon'ble Shri Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, J. Order on Board

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23-07-2026

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The present is anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (in short ‘BNSS’) filed by the applicant who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime No.244/2026 registered at Police Station Chakarbhata, District Bilaspur (C.G.) for the offence under Section 7(2) of the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Section 112 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (in short ‘BNS’).

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The case of the prosecution in brief is that, on 24-04-2026 police of Police Station Chakarbhata, District Bilaspur while on patrolling conducted raid near Nayapara Chowk and apprehended one Dinesh Panjwani who was found actively involved in online gambling through his mobile phone in IPL cricket match. On being interrogated he disclosed that the proceeds of online gambling was forwarded by him to Ajju Baktani and his another friend through

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online mode. The mobile phone and his scooty has been seized by the police and he was arrested. From the mobile phone of co-accuse Dinesh Panjwani various screen shots have been abstracted in which the mobile number of the present applicant and various chatting and money transfer have been disclosed. The FIR has been registered in which the present applicant is apprehending his arrest.

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Learned counsel for the applicant would submit that there is no material available in the case which directly connects the present applicant with the offence in question. Except the material collected from the co-accused Dinesh Panjwani no other incriminating circumstances appears in the case against the present applicant. The chatting abstracted from the mobile phone of coaccused Dinesh Panjwani does not disclose the name of present applicant Ajay Baktani and it is only apprehension that the present applicant is also associated with Dinesh Panjwani in playing online gambling and there is no bank account details collected by the prosecution to support the allegation of money transaction between them. Even otherwise, only exhibition of name Aj in the mobile phone of co-accused Dinesh Panjwani the applicant cannot be connected with him. He would also submit that except from the memorandum statement of co-accused Dinesh Pnajwani no other incriminating material has been collected by police to implicate the present applicant in the offence. The applicant is having no criminal antecedent. The applicant being a reputable person of the community and society, the applicant be granted benefit of anticipatory bail.

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On the other hand, learned counsel appearing for the State opposes the submissions made by learned counsel for the applicant and would submit there is allegation of online gambling and money transaction between coaccused Dinesh Panjwani and the present applicant. The co-accused Dinesh Panjwani was apprehended on the spot and from his mobile phone and from

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his memorandum statement the name of present applicant surfaced. From the mobile phone of co-accused Dinesh Panjwani the chatting with respect to the online gambling and money transaction have been abstracted and for further investigation in the matter the applicant is required to be interrogated. Therefore, his anticipatory bail application is liable to be rejected. She would further submit that in the cyber report dated 22-07-2026 with respect to the mobile phone of co-accused Dinesh Panjwani there is sufficient material available in his mobile phone which directly connects the present applicant with the offence in question. His mobile number was disclosed by the coaccused Dinesh Panjwani and sufficient transaction and chatting was found in cyber report and therefore, looking to network of online gambling, gravity of offence and impact upon the society, the applicant is not entitled for anticipatory bail.

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I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the case diary.

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This Court vide order dated 09-07-2026 directed the State counsel to call the cyber report of the mobile phone seized from the accused Dinesh Panjwani. Pursuant to the order dated 09-07-2026 the State counsel submitted the cyber report dated 22-07-2026 along with relevant chatting in pen drive and according to the data available in the mobile phone of Dinesh Panjawani, there is sufficient chatting and money transaction details abstracted from the mobile phone of Dinesh Panjwani. The phone number of the present applicant is feeded as ‘Aj” and sufficient Whatsapp chatting is there in his mobile phone. The said cyber report dated 22-07-2026 sent by Station House Officer, Police Station Chakarbhata is taken on record.

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Considering the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, considering the nature of allegation, the material collected during the investigation, the screen shots abstracted from the mobile phone of coaccused Dinesh Panjwani, the call detail report collected by the police and the

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cyber report dated 22-07-2026 in which there is sufficient chatting between coaccused Dinesh Panjwani and the present applicant regarding online gambling and further considering the gravity of offence and the manner in which the applicant is allegedly involved in online gambling, I am not inclined to allow the application filed by the applicant for grant of anticipatory bail.

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Accordingly, the present anticipatory bail application of applicant Ajay Baktani is hereby rejected .

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Sd/-

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(Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) Judge

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Aadil

Ajay Bhaktani v. State of Chhattisgarh

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Ajay Bhaktani v. State of Chhattisgarh

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