Authority: High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi

Order Date: 03.09.2026

Case Overview

  • Parties: Petitioner – Girija Shankar Kumar, aged about 57, resident of Katihar, Bihar; Opposite Party – Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
  • Nature of Proceedings: Application for anticipatory bail (A.B.A. No. 5014 of 2026) in connection with R.C. Case No. 80(S)/2017‑R, registered for offences under IPC sections 420 and 120B, sections 3 and 4 of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme Banning Act, 1978, and section 45(S) of the RBI Act.
  • Charges & Punishment: Maximum punishment prescribed is seven (7) years of imprisonment.
  • Directorship: Petitioner is a director of M/s Sun Plant Agro Limited and M/s Sun Plant Bio Energy Private Limited.
  • SEBI Proceedings: SEBI has initiated a separate proceeding; the companies have repaid/refunded Rs 156.74 crore out of a total liability of Rs 158 crore as per SEBI order.
  • Counsel Submissions: Petitioner's counsel argued that investigation is complete, charge sheet filed, petitioner never taken into custody, and cooperation throughout. He requested an order similar to A.B.A. No. 3281 of 2026 dated 06.08.2026.
  • CBI Position: CBI did not dispute the submissions and raised no objection to granting anticipatory bail on the same terms as prior orders (A.B.A. No. 3281 of 2026 and A.B.A. No. 967 of 2026).
  • Judicial Reasoning: The court referred to Paragraph 29 of the anticipatory bail application and noted the substantial repayment by the companies. It observed that once the petitioner files a surrender‑cum‑bail application pursuant to the summons, the application will be considered as per law, incorporating the ratio of Supreme Court judgments in Satender Kumar Antil Vs. CBI & Anr. (2022) 10 SCC 51 and Siddharth Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr. (2021) SCC Online SC 615.

Final Outcome

  • The anticipatory bail application is disposed of in the same terms as A.B.A. No. 967 of 2026.
  • The petitioner is directed to file a surrender‑cum‑bail application as per the summons.
  • A copy of this order shall be communicated to the concerned lower court through fax/email.

Topics: Anticipatory Bail, Financial Crime, SEBI Enforcement