The Chhattisgarh High Court has termed as a "mere eye-wash" the imposition of a fine of Rs. 500 on an Investigating Officer for furnishing incorrect information before the Court that a bail applicant had 19 criminal antecedents. Observing that portraying a person as having multiple criminal antecedents when no such antecedents existed was a very serious matter, the Court directed the Director General of Police to reconsider the action taken against the concerned official and also seek an explanation from the Senior Superintendent of Police, Jashpur.

Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha was hearing a bail application filed by two applicants arrested in connection with an offence under Sections 34(1) and 34(2) of the Chhattisgarh Excise Act. During the earlier hearing, the State had informed the Court that applicant no.2, Jagdeep Singh, had 19 criminal antecedents. The applicant, however, had filed an affidavit stating that no criminal antecedents were pending against him. The Court, therefore, directed the concerned Superintendent of Police to file a personal affidavit verifying the correctness of the information.

Pursuant to the Court's direction, the Senior Superintendent of Police filed an affidavit stating that the information regarding 19 criminal antecedents had been incorrectly furnished. The affidavit further disclosed that the Investigating Officer had been punished with a fine of Rs. 500 for his gross negligence and warned against repetition of such conduct.

The Court observed that the action taken against the Investigating Officer was prima facie wholly inadequate and merely an eye-wash in the facts and circumstances of the case. It held that furnishing incorrect information before the Court, thereby portraying a person as having multiple criminal antecedents when no such antecedents existed, was very serious in nature.

“… the action stated to have been taken against the concerned official was merely the imposition of a fine of Rs. 500/-. Prima facie, such action appears to be wholly inadequate and merely an eye-wash in the facts and circumstances of the case,” the Court observed.

The Court also took into consideration that applicant no.2 had no criminal antecedents, applicant no.1 had only one criminal antecedent in Punjab, the applicants had remained in custody since 07.10.2025, the charge-sheet had already been filed, and the trial was likely to take some time. On that basis, it allowed the bail application and directed their release on bail subject to conditions.

Accordingly, besides granting bail to the applicants, the Court directed the Director General of Police to reconsider the matter afresh against the concerned official and to call for an explanation from the Senior Superintendent of Police.

Case Title: Ranvir Singh & Anr. v. State of Chhattisgarh [MCRC No. 10544 of 2025].

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