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2025 DAILYLAW 105383 (ALL)

SONI v. STATE OF U.P. AND 3 OTHERS

BAIL/39182/2024 · 2025-03-03

Krishan Pahal

body2025

Judgment text

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Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:30941 Court No. - 65 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 39182 of 2024 Applicant :- Soni Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others Counsel for Applicant :- Amar Nath Singh Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Krishan Pahal,J. 1. List has been revised. 2. Learned State Law Officer has informed that the notice to the informant has been served on 23.10.2024. 3. Heard Sri Amar Nath Singh, learned counsel for the applicant, Sri Rajendra Prasad Singh, learned State Law Officer for the State and perused the material placed on record. 4. Applicant seeks bail in Case Crime No. 190 of 2024, under Sections 363, 366, 376, 120-B, 368, 372, 373, 419, 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC and 3/4 POCSO Act, Police Station Muhammadabad, District Mau, during the pendency of trial. 5. As per prosecution story, the applicant is stated to have pressurized the victim to live with her and subsequently got her marriage solemnized with one Dhanna Ram at Rajasthan. 6. Learned counsel for the applicant has argued that the applicant is absolutely innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. The victim has stated that she was retrieved from Rajasthan by the police, while the recovery memo indicates that she was retrieved from railway station Muhammadabad, Gohana, Mau. Learned counsel has stated that these two places are far away from each other. The allegations are per se false and the applicant has nothing to do with the said offence. 7. Several other submissions have been made on behalf of the applicant to demonstrate the falsity of the allegations made against her. The circumstances which, as per counsel, led to the false implication of the applicant have also been touched upon at length. There is no criminal history of the applicant. The applicant is languishing in jail since 8.8.2024 and she is ready to cooperate with trial. In case, the applicant is released on bail, she will not misuse the liberty of bail. 8. Learned A.G.A. has vehemently opposed the bail application. 9. The Supreme Court in the case of Niranjan Singh and another vs. Prabhakar Rajaram Kharote and Others, AIR 1980 SC 785 has avoided detailed examination of the evidence and elaborate documentation of the merits of the case as no party should have the impression that his case has been prejudiced. A prima facie satisfaction of case is needed but it is not the same as an exhaustive exploration of the merits in the order itself. 10. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, the evidence on record, and taking into consideration the settled law of the Supreme Court passed in Satender Kumar Antil vs. Central Bureau of Investigation and Ors., 2022 INSC 690 and Manish Sisodia vs. Directorate of Enforcement, 2024 INSC 595 and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the Court is of the view that the applicant has made out a case for bail. The bail application is allowed. 11. Let the applicant- Soni, who is involved in aforementioned case crime be released on bail on her furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned subject to following conditions. Further, before issuing the release order, the sureties be verified. (i) The applicant shall not tamper with evidence. (ii) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the Trial Court on dates fixed for (1) opening of the case, (2) framing of charge and (3) recording of statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C./351 B.N.S.S. If in the opinion of the Trial Court absence of the applicant is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the Trial Court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against her in accordance with law. 12. In case of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a ground for cancellation of bail. 13. It is made clear that observations made in granting bail to the applicant shall not in any way affect the learned trial Judge in forming his independent opinion based on the testimony of the witnesses. Order Date :- 4.3.2025/ S.K.S. (Justice Krishan Pahal) Digitally signed by :- SUNIL KUMAR SINGH High Court of Judicature at Allahabad