Chhattisgarh High Court Monthly Digest: January 2026

[CITATIONS: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 1-2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 15]NOMINAL INDEXChaitanya Baghel vs Directorate Of Enforcement (MCRC 8716/2025) & Chaitanya Baghel vs State of Chhattisgarh: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 1M/s Eastman International v. Union of India & Ors: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 2Union of India & Ors. vs. Rakesh Kumar Rathore & Ors.: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 3Rajendra Kumar Vaid vs. State of Chhattisgarh & Others: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 4Sanjeet Kumar Burman v. State of Chhattisgarh & tagged case: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 5Minketan Chandra & Anr. v. South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. & Ors.: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 6X v/s Y: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 7Anwar Dhebar v. State of Chhattisgarh: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 8Laxmikant Joshi v. Lokeshwari @ Parmeshwari: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 9Akash Kumar Sahu v. State of Chhattisgarh & Ors.: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 10Ramkishna Pandey and Anr v. State Of Chhattisgarh and Ors: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 11Sujeet Sao and Ors v. State of Chhattisgarh and Ors: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 12High Court of Chhattisgarh and Anr v. Ajit Choubelal Gohar and Anr: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 13Ishwarilal Sahu v. State Of Chhattisgarh and batch: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 14Nijesh Chauhan v. State of Chhattisgarh: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 15FINAL ORDERS/JUDGMENTSChhattisgarh High Court Grants Bail To Chaitanya Baghel In Liquor Scam CaseCase Title: Chaitanya Baghel vs Directorate Of Enforcement (MCRC 8716/2025) & Chaitanya Baghel vs State of Chhattisgarh Case Number: MCRC 8224/2025Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 1The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted bail to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, in two cases related to the liquor scam. The case involved two interconnected investigations into a liquor syndicate scam, allegedly operating between 2019 and 2023.The cases originated from an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offence Wing (EOW) on 17 January 2024, alleging systematic corruption involving the unauthorised sale of liquor, forgery of holograms, and commission-staking that caused a loss of approximately INR 4,000 crores to the state exchequer. Following this predicate offence, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) registered an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) under the PMLA to investigate the laundering of these "proceeds of crime" through real estate projects and shell entities. The Applicant was arrested by the ED on 18 July 2025 and subsequently by the EOW on 24 September 2025.Exporters Not Using Letters Of Credit Cannot Be Denied Rice Export Duty Exemption: Chhattisgarh High Court Directs ₹2.1 Crore RefundCase Title: M/s Eastman International v. Union of India & OrsCase Number: WPT No. 228 of 2023Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 2The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that exporters who do not carry out exports through Letters of Credit (LoCs) cannot be denied exemption from export duty on parboiled rice solely on the ground that they failed to satisfy an LoC-related condition in a temporary exemption notification.A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru delivered the ruling while allowing the writ petition filed by a Ludhiana-based exporter engaged in the export of parboiled rice. The petitioner had challenged the levy and collection of 20 per cent export duty on its rice consignments during the brief period between 25 August 2023 and 15 October 2023.Lateral Movement Between Posts Carrying Same Grade Pay Not A Promotion: Chhattisgarh HCCase Title: Union of India & Ors. vs. Rakesh Kumar Rathore & Ors.Case Number: WPS No. 1833 of 2025Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 3A Division Bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court comprising Justice Rajani Dubey and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad held that movements between posts with the same Grade Pay (like Goods Guard to Passenger Guard) are lateral inductions, not promotions. Therefore, such movements should not be counted against the limited number of MACP upgradations.It was observed by the court that the financial upgradation should be based solely on the hierarchy of Grade Pays, which remained unchanged for the employees after they reached the Grade Pay of Rs. 4200. Relying upon the case of UOI vs. K. Bhaskaran, it was held that the movement of an employee from a post like Senior Goods Guard to Passenger Guard within the same Grade Pay, constitutes a lateral induction. It is not a promotion for the purpose of the MACP Scheme.Uncommunicated Adverse Entries In ACRs Can Be Considered For Passing Order Of Compulsory Retirement: Chhattisgarh HCCase Title: Rajendra Kumar Vaid vs. State of Chhattisgarh & OthersCase Number: WA No. 802 of 2025Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Chh) 4A Division Bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru held that the uncommunicated adverse entries in an employee's Annual Confidential Reports can be considered for passing an order of compulsory retirement.It was observed by the Court that the grading of the employee was Good or Very Good for some years...

Chhattisgarh High Court Monthly Digest: January 2026

Saahas Arora

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