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2025 DAILYLAW 111899 (ALL)

SMT. RADHA @ REKHA v. STATE OF U.P. AND 3 OTHERS

BAIL/46177/2024 · 2025-03-10

Krishan Pahal

body2025

Judgment text

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Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:35732 Court No. - 65 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 46177 of 2024 Applicant :- Smt. Radha @ Rekha Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others Counsel for Applicant :- Shashank Singh Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Krishan Pahal,J. 1. List has been revised. 2. Heard Sri Saumitra Dwivedi, Advocate holding brief of Sri Shashank Singh, learned counsel for the applicant, Sri Ashutosh Srivastava, learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the material placed on record. 3. Learned A.G.A. has informed that the notice to the informant has been served on 30.12.2024. 4. Applicant seeks bail in Case Crime No.239 of 2024, under Sections 61(2), 70(2), 77, 351(2)(3) B.N.S., Section 5g/6 POCSO Act and Section 3(2)5 S.C./S.T. Act, Police Station Chirgaon, District Jhansi, during the pendency of trial. 5. As per prosecution story, the victim was taking bath in the bathroom and the applicant and other co-accused persons are stated to have video recorded the said act and had blackmailed the victim to establish physical relationship with co-accused person Ravi and thereupon the husband of the applicant is also stated to have established corporeal relationship with the victim. 6. Learned counsel for the applicant has argued that the applicant is absolutely innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. The allegations are per se false. There is no recovery of any video whatsoever. The FIR is delayed by about 22 days and there is no explanation of the said delay caused. The injury sustained by the victim do not stand corroborated by the prosecution story. Learned counsel has further stated that the victim by her looks seems to be major, although she has stated her age to be 15 years. 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 19.09.2024 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- Smt. Radha @ Rekha, 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. 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 :- 11.3.2025 (Ravi Kant) (Justice Krishan Pahal) Digitally signed by :- RAVI KANT High Court of Judicature at Allahabad