Authority: High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur
Order Date: 08/07/2026
Case Overview
- Parties: Applicant – Sumit Kumar, Suspended General Assistant, District Cooperative Central Bank Maryadit Ambikapur; Respondent – State of Chhattisgarh through Police Station Sitapur, District Sarguja.
- Case Reference: MCRCA No. 1046 of 2026; Crime No.188/2026 registered at Police Station – Sitapur, District‑Surguja (Ambikapur).
- Allegations: Accused of forging agricultural loans sanctioned and disbursed in the names of 127 farmers of Adim Jati Sewa Sahakari Samiti, Kerju, resulting in an alleged embezzlement of Rs 1,92,82,096/‑.
- Statutory Provisions: Offences punishable under Sections 318, 316(5), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
- Applicant’s Position: Appointed as General Assistant on 10‑12‑2024, joined duties on 17‑12‑2024; claims the fraudulent transactions began in 2022, prior to his appointment, and that he had no authority to sanction or disburse loans, acting only under supervision of the Branch Manager.
- Prosecution’s Position: Internal enquiry by the Cooperative Bank found the applicant prima facie involved; alleges large‑scale financial fraud with the stated loss amount.
- Counsel Arguments: Applicant’s counsel (Mr. Manoj Kumar Sinha) asserted innocence and lack of material participation; State counsel (Mr. Sumit Singh) emphasized the magnitude of loss and prima facie involvement.
Final Outcome
- The Court, after considering the nature and gravity of the allegations, the alleged financial loss, and the material collected indicating the applicant’s involvement, declined to grant anticipatory bail. The anticipatory bail application filed under Section 482 of the BNS, 2023 is rejected.
Topics: Anticipatory Bail, Financial Fraud, Cooperative Banking