IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 5038/2026
[Arising out of SLP (Crl.) No.17315/2026]
J RAMALAXMI Appellant
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA Respondent
[NyayVidhan note: paragraphs 1-14 carry the Court's numbers. The record of proceedings of 26.10.2026, which follows the signed order, is given in abridged form, with the interlocutory applications and the list of counsel each on one line and without its own paragraph numbers; the digital-signature block, Registry signatures and page footers are left out. The order's own wording is kept as printed.]
[Source: Supreme Court of India, www.sci.gov.in — order dated 26.10.2026.]
O R D E R
1. Leave granted.
2. The High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur, by the impugned judgment and order dated 17th August, 2026, has rejected the appellant’s prayer for grant of bail.
3. Appellant, figuring as an accused in FIR No.RC1242026A0005 of 2026 dated 15th May, 2026 registered at Police Station CBI, ACB, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 & Sections 7 & 7A of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, was arrested on 19th May, 2026.
4. We have heard learned counsel for the parties.
5. Appellant has been behind bars for more than 05 months. Charge-sheet was filed on 15th July, 2026. Prosecution proposes to examine 24 (twenty-four) witnesses to drive home the charges. However, the charges are yet to be framed.
6. Taking an overall view of the matter, and particularly the fact that the appellant is a woman entitled to the benefit of Section 480 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, we are of the view that further detention of the appellant in custody may not serve any useful purpose; hence, we are inclined to accept the appeal and grant relief as prayed by admitting the appellant to an order for grant of bail.
7. Accordingly, we set aside the impugned judgment and order.
8. Appellant shall be released on bail, subject to furnishing of bail bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court and subject to such other terms and conditions as may be imposed by it.
9. Needless to observe, if released on bail, the appellant shall not, directly or indirectly, by making inducement, threat or promise, dissuade any person acquainted with the facts of the case from disclosing such facts to the court.
10. In the event there is any breach of the terms and conditions for grant of bail, the trial court shall be at liberty to cancel the bail of the appellant.
11. It is also ordered that the appellant shall diligently attend proceedings of the trial, unless exempted. If she abstains from attending the proceedings without justifiable cause, that could also be seen as breach of the conditions for grant of bail and the trial court will be free to pass appropriate orders.
12. We clarify that the observations made in this order and grant of bail will not be treated as findings on the merits of the case.
13. The appeal is, accordingly, allowed on the aforesaid terms.
14. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.
..........................................J.
(DIPANKAR DATTA)
...........................................J.
(SHEEL NAGU)
New Delhi;
October 26, 2026.
ITEM NO.8 COURT NO.6 SECTION II-C
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No.17315/2026
[Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 17-08-2026 in MCRC No.6939/2026 passed by the High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur]
J RAMALAXMI Petitioner
VERSUS
UNION OF INDIA Respondent
I.A. No.276822/2026 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT; I.A. No.276823/2026 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
Date : 26-10-2026 This matter was called on for hearing today.
CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DIPANKAR DATTA
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHEEL NAGU
For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Dushyant Parashar- 1889, AOR Mr. Manish Upadhyay, Adv. Mr. Manu Parashar, Adv. Mr. Dinesh Pandey, Adv.
For Respondent(s) : Mr. Davinder Pal Singh, A.S.G. Mr. Shreekant Neelappa Terdal- 909, AOR Mr. Rajan Kumar Chourasia, Adv. Mr. Nikhil Aradhe, Adv. Mr. Bhuvan Kapoor, Adv. Mr. Harsh Gokhle, Adv. Ms. Vidhi Gupta, Adv.
UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following ORDER: Leave granted. The appeal is allowed in terms of the signed order. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.
J. Ramalaxmi v. Union of India
The text below is reproduced from the judgment for reference. The article summarises the Court's decision; refer to the original judgment for the authoritative text.