[Cites 3, Cited by 0]

Chattisgarh High Court

Sunil Kumar Soni vs State Of Chhattisgarh on 17 March, 2026

Author: Ramesh Sinha

Bench: Ramesh Sinha

                                                          1




VAISHALI
LUCKY                                                                      2026:CGHC:12694
NAGARIA
Digitally signed by
                                                                                       NAFR
VAISHALI LUCKY
NAGARIA
Date: 2026.03.18
17:15:43 +0530
                                HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR


                                            MCRCA No. 405 of 2026

                      •   Sunil Kumar Soni S/o Late Shri Jagdish Soni Aged About 42 Years
                          R/o Beside Choudhari Traders Masanganj, Police Station Civil Line
                          Bilaspur, Tahsil And District Bilaspur Chhattisgarh 495001
                                                                                ... Applicant(s)


                                                      versus
                      •   State of Chhattisgarh Through- P.S. City Kotwali Bilaspur District
                          Bilaspur Chhattisgarh, 491226
                                                                              ... Respondent(s)

(Cause title is taken from Case Information System)

For Applicant(s) : Mr. Curtis Collins, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Mr. Sourabh Sahu, Panel Lawyer

Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Order on Board

17/03/2026

1. This first anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the

Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has been filed by the

applicant, who is apprehending his arrest in connection with Crime

No.106/2026 registered at Police Station - City Kotwali, District:

Bilaspur, C.G. for the offence punishable under Sections 296, 351(3),

351(4) of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 and 67 of I.T. Act.

2. Case of the prosecution, in brief, is that I am working as an office

bearer in the Marwadi Soni Samaj and also as the President of the

Sarafa Association. That my uncle, Jagdish Soni's son, Deepak Soni,

was married in the year 2015 to Nidhi Soni, who is the sister-in-law

of Sunil Soni's brother, Subhash Soni. After a few years of marriage,

due to mutual disputes between the husband and wife, both parties

filed criminal cases against each other in April 2025, which are

presently pending before the competent Court. On the date of the

incident, Subhash Soni and Sunil Soni called me from mobile

number 9827994162 and threatened me, stating that I should not

interfere in between, and that they would illegally extract gold, silver

and money from Deepak Soni in the name of divorce. They further

threatened that if I intervened, they would get me killed. Thereafter,

senior office bearers of the society and I facilitated mediation between

both parties for an amicable settlement. Due to my intervention,

Sunil Soni, who is an advocate by profession, could not falsely

implicate Deepak Soni and his family members in fabricated cases

nor could he obtain unlawful gain in the name of divorce by

demanding gold, silver and cash. As a result, being frustrated, Sunil

Soni repeatedly threatened to falsely implicate me in criminal cases,

used abusive language, and threatened to kill me. personal matter,

otherwise they would not spare me and would use force against me.

On 20.10.2025, Sunil Soni's sister, Savita Soni, through her

Facebook ID (Savita Ravindra Soni), sent highly objectionable and

abusive messages to me on my Facebook Messenger. In the said

messages, she used offensive and defamatory language against me

and my family and warned me not to misuse my position in society.

She further threatened that if I did not stop interfering, I would face

serious consequences. Despite making complaints at the social level

within their family, their family members, including Ravi Soni, used

abusive language towards me and stated that their family is

influential and that I would not be spared. Sunil Soni portrays

himself as a powerful senior advocate and, along with his relative

Montu Soni (resident of Kharsia), has been continuously threatening

to kill me. In this regard, I had earlier lodged complaints with the

police on 22.11.2025 and 05.07.2025. From 27.04.2025 till date, I

have been continuously threatened by Sunil Soni, Subhash Soni,

Ravi Soni, Montu Soni and Savita Soni, who have been abusing me

and issuing threats to kill me, due to which I am under constant fear

and apprehension regarding my life and property.

3. Learned counsel for the applicant submitted applicant is innocent

and has falsely been implicated in the present case. It is further

contended that the present case is a result of personal enmity and is

a clear counterblast arising out of a matrimonial dispute between the

applicant's close relative, Deepak Soni, and his wife, wherein multiple

litigations are already pending between the parties since April 2025.

The applicant, being a respectable member of society and holding the

position of office bearer in the Marwadi Soni Samaj as well as

President of the Sarafa Association, had merely intervened to

facilitate an amicable settlement between the parties. Due to such

intervention, the complainant side, particularly Sunil Soni and his

relatives, who intended to extract unlawful monetary and valuable

consideration in the name of divorce, developed animosity against the

applicant. That prior to the registration of the present case, the said

persons had repeatedly threatened the applicant with dire

consequences, including false implication in criminal cases, and had

extended threats to his life. The applicant had also made prior

complaints to the police authorities on 05.07.2025 and 22.11.2025

regarding such threats and harassment, which clearly demonstrates

that the applicant is a victim of ongoing intimidation rather than an

offender. Furthermore, abusive and defamatory communications

were sent to the applicant through social media platforms, evidencing

a continuous pattern of harassment. That the present FIR has been

lodged with malafide intention solely to pressurize and harass the

applicant and to deter him from supporting his relative in the

matrimonial dispute. It is further contended that Sections 296,

351(3), 351(4) of BNS are bailable in nature and Section 67 of the I.T

Act is non-bailable, from perusal of the FIR, no allegation under

Section 67 of IT Act is made against the applicant and said Section

has been wrongly invoked. He further submits that applicant has no

criminal antecedent, therefore, applicant is entitled to be released on

anticipatory bail.

4. On the other hand, learned State counsel, appearing for the non -

applicant/State, opposes the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to

the applicant.

5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the

materials available on record.

6. Considering the facts & circumstances of the case, submission of

learned counsel for the parties, materials available on record,

considering the fact the present case is a result of personal enmity

and is a clear counterblast arising out of a matrimonial dispute

between the applicant's close relative, Deepak Soni, and his wife,

wherein multiple litigations are already pending between the parties

since April 2025. The applicant, being a respectable member of

society and holding the position of office bearer in the Marwadi Soni

Samaj as well as President of the Sarafa Association, had merely

intervened to facilitate an amicable settlement between the parties,

therefore, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the present

applicant on the ground of parity.

7. Accordingly, the instant MCRCA is allowed and it is directed that in

the event of arrest of the applicant - Sunil Kumar Soni, on executing

a personal bond and one surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of

the arresting Officer, he shall be released on bail on the following

conditions:-

(a) The applicant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such fact to the Court.

(b) The applicant shall not act in any manner which will be prejudicial to fair and expeditious trial.

(c) The applicant shall appear before the trial Court on each and every date given to him by the said Court till disposal of the trial.

(d) The applicant and the surety shall submit a copy of their adhaar card along with a coloured postcard full size photo having printed the adhaar number on it, which shall be verified by the trial Court.