$~10 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + BAIL APPLN. 1996/2026, CRL.M.A. 16406/2026 ROHIT KUMAR .....Applicant Through: Mr. Nishant, Adv. (through VC) Versus STATE OF NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Ms. Meenakshi Dahiya, APP with Ms. Apoorva Khosla, Mr. Bhanu Pratap Singh and Mr. Aditya Vikram Singh, Advocates Ms. Rekha Sharma, Mr. Hitesh Sharma, Advocates CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SAURABH BANERJEE O R D E R % 20.07.2026 1. By virtue of the present application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the applicant seeks regular bail in proceedings arising from FIR No.36/2026 dated 05.02.2026 registered at PS.: Kanjhawala, Delhi under Section 137(2)/140(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS). 2. As per FIR, on 04.02.2026, at about 02:00 PM, the complainant left for her workplace, her husband having already left earlier, leaving their two minor sons, aged about 6 and 4 years, alone at the house. Thereafter, at about 02:40 PM, the complainant received a telephonic call from her cousin i.e. the applicant herein, informing her that he had taken away her two minor children and was switching off his phone. Upon returning This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/07/2026 at 11:36:32 home, the complainant found both her minor sons missing and, despite her efforts to trace them, was unable to locate them. Hence, the present FIR. 3. During investigation, it was revealed that the applicant was frequently changing his location and was communicating with the complainant only through WhatsApp calls to evade detection and arrest. Through sustained technical surveillance, CDR analysis, mobile location tracking, CCTV examination, and multiple search operations, both kidnapped minor children were successfully recovered from house no.1321, B-1, Sub Gali No.10, Jain Nagar, Delhi. However, taking advantage of the situation during the search operation, the applicant escaped by jumping to another floor from the premises and remained absconding thereafter, and could eventually be traced near Panipat through continued technical surveillance before being arrested on 10.03.2026. 4. In this factual backdrop, this Court has heard learned counsel for the applicant as also the learned APP. 5. The overall facts and circumstances herein reveal that strangely the applicant, who is the Maternal Uncle (Mama) of the minor children, made a runaway with them for no sound and/ or plausible reason(s). Also, that in addition to the fact that he was not reachable over mobile and was frequently changing his location and was only contacting the complainant through WhatsApp calls to avoid detection. Interestingly, the minor children were recovered during a search operation after two days, that too from a room in the premises of the applicant. Lastly, this is a case wherein during the aforesaid search, the applicants managed to escape by jumping to another floor from the premises and remained absconding thereafter, only to be arrested from Panipat after more than a month. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/07/2026 at 11:36:32 6. The aforesaid, weighed against statements given by both the children, though wherein there are no direct allegations of kidnapping make out, however, the applicant herein has not made out a prima facie case for grant of regular bail. 7. In view of the aforesaid, as also the proceedings before the learned Trial Court are at the stage of recording of evidence, the present bail application is dismissed. 8. Needless to say, expression of view(s) on the merits, if any, are solely for the purposes of adjudication of the present application and shall have no bearing on the overall case/ trial involved. SAURABH BANERJEE, J. JULY 20, 2026/So/DA This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 23/07/2026 at 11:36:32