Anticipatory Bail Denied; Petitioner Must Appear Within 10 Days and Cooperate in Investigation

The HC disposed of the anticipatory bail application directing the petitioner to appear before the Investigating Officer within ten days and cooperate in the investigation related to Dimapur Sub-Urban P.S. Case No. 23/2025. Upon compliance, if arrested, the petitioner shall be granted bail of Rs. 30,000 with one surety of the same amount, subject to the arresting authority's satisfaction and imposed conditions.

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The Gauhati High Court, through Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita, disposed of the anticipatory bail application filed under Section 482 of BNSS, 2023 by Guneshwar Bharali, who apprehended arrest in Dimapur Sub-Urban P.S. Case No. 23/2025 under Sections 318(4)/316(5)/61(2) of BNS. The petitioner was not directly accused in the FIR; the only link was a statement by an arrested co-accused implicating the petitioner in an outstanding timber payment dispute. The petitioner had defaulted on a Section 35(3) BNSS notice due to illness but expressed willingness to cooperate. The Court directed the petitioner to appear before the Investigating Officer within ten days and cooperate. Upon such appearance, if arrested, the petitioner shall be granted bail of Rs.30,000 with one surety of like amount, subject to the arresting authority's satisfaction, on conditions that he (i) shall not induce, threaten, or promise anyone to withhold facts from the investigation, and (ii) shall cooperate in the investigation. The Additional Advocate General had no objection to granting protection if the petitioner cooperated. The application was thus disposed of accordingly.

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