JAGGO DEVI v. STATE OF U.P. THRU. PRIN. SECY. HOME DEPTT. LKO.
BAIL/3648/2025 · 2025-04-30
Manish Mathur
body2025
DailyLaw.ai
[ 2025 DAILYLAW 137459 (ALL) · dailylaw.ai ]
DailyLaw.ai
[ 2025 DAILYLAW 137459 (ALL) · dailylaw.ai ]
Judgment text
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Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC-LKO:24708 Court No. - 13 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 3648 of 2025 Applicant :- Jaggo Devi Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Deptt. Lko. Counsel for Applicant :- Brijesh Kumar Yadav Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Manish Mathur,J.
1. Heard learned counsel for applicant, learned Additional Government Advocate appearing on behalf of State and perused the record. 2. This first bail application has been filed with regard to Case Crime No. 942 of 2023 under Sections 364/211, 193/211, 182, 120-B IPC, P.S. Kotwali Nagar, District Sultanpur. 3. As per contents of FIR in which applicant is not named, allegation levelled is that the accused were instrumental in lodging a false FIR with regard to abduction of one Virendra Kumar. 4. It is submitted that applicant has been falsely implicated in charges levelled against her being the mother of the said Virendra Kumar who is still missing. It is submitted that there is no allegation levelled in the FIR with regard to applicant having any role in lodging of the alleged false FIR. The applicant is of advanced age and is under incarceration since 18.12.2024 with trial not having yet commenced. 5. Learned A.G.A. appearing on behalf of the State opposed the prayer for bail application with the submission that applicant in fact was instrumental in lodging of the fake FIR and the entire family subsequently was discovered in Gujarat with applicant also being in touch with the family members. It is, however, admitted that applicant does not have any previous criminal history. 6. Hon'ble the Supreme Court in Sanjay Chandra v. Central Bureau of Investigation, reported in (2012) 1 SCC 40 has specifically held that bail is to be a norm and an under-trial is not required to be in jail for ever pending trial. Relevant paragraphs of the judgment are as under :-
"21. In bail applications, generally, it has been laid down from the earliest times that the object of bail is to secure the appearance of the accused person at his trial by reasonable amount of bail. The object of bail is neither punitive nor preventative. Deprivation of liberty must be considered a punishment, unless it is required to ensure that an accused person will stand his trial when called upon.
The courts owe more than verbal respect to the principle that punishment begins after conviction, and that every man is deemed to be innocent until duly tried and duly found guilty."
"27. This Court, time and again, has stated that bail is the rule and committal to jail an exception. It has also observed that refusal of bail is a restriction on the personal liberty of the individual guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution."
7. Upon consideration of submissions advanced by learned counsel for parties, prima facie, subject to evidence being led in trial, at this stage it appears that applicant is not named in the FIR nor has there been any specific allegation levelled against her. The aspect of filing a false FIR would be subject matter of trial during the course of evidence. The applicant is under incarceration since 18.12.2024 with trial allegedly at the very inception. 8. Considering the submissions of learned counsel for the parties, nature of accusation and severity of punishment in case of conviction, nature of supporting evidence, prima facie satisfaction of the Court in support of the charge, reformative theory of punishment and considering larger mandate of the Article 21 of the Constitution of India and, without expressing any view on the merits of the case, I find it to be a fit case of bail. 9. Let applicant, Jaggo Devi, involved in the aforesaid 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 with the following conditions which are being imposed in the interest of justice:- (i) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in court.
In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law. (ii) The applicant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through her counsel. In case of her absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against him under Section 229-A of the Indian Penal Code. (iii) In case, the applicant misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure her presence proclamation under Section 82 Cr.P.C. is issued and the applicant fails to appear before the court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the trial court shall initiate proceedings against him, in accordance with law, under Section 174-A of the Indian Penal Code. (iv) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) 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 him in accordance with law. Order Date :- 30.4.2025 Satish Digitally signed by :- SATISH KUMAR BHARATI High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench