Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC-LKO:13445 Court No. - 16 Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 510 of 2024 Revisionist :- A (Minor) Thru. Guardian/Father B - Juvenile Delinquent Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Deptt. Of Home Lko. And 3 Others Counsel for Revisionist :- Arun Kumar Singh Parihar,Amod Kumar Singh Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Karunesh Singh Pawar,J. The present criminal revision has been filed to quash the judgment and order dated 08.01.2024 passed by the Juvenile Justice Board, Raebareli in Criminal Case No.48 of 2023 and order dated 01.03.2024 passed by Additional Sessions Judge/Special Judge POCSO Act (Exclusive) First, Raebareli in Criminal Appeal No.11 of 2024. In the prosecution case, it is alleged that accused persons used to molest the victim and have enticed her away on 06.01.2023. Learned counsel for the revisionist submits that allegation of rape has been levelled by the victim on all the three accused. The co-accused Arman and Ajay Nishad have been granted bail by the Co-ordinate Benches of this Court vide orders dated 07.06.2023 and 11.08.2023 passed in Criminal Misc. Bail Application Nos.5378/2023 & 8357/2023 respectively. He submits that in the medical examination, no corroborative material or injury has been found on the person of the prosecutrix. There is no other material with the prosecution. The applicant is in jail since 18.01.2023. It is next submitted that the District Probation officer, Raebareli in his report has stated that during his inquiry he has found that the conduct of the applicant was normal in the village. Learned A.G.A. vehemently opposed the present criminal revision. It is submitted, the incident reported is true and it is wrong to say that the allegations made against the applicant are false, and/are motivated. Also, reliance has been placed on the findings recorded in the bail rejection orders to submit that the instant revision may be dismissed. It is not in dispute that the applicant is a juvenile and is entitled to the benefits of the provisions of the Act. Under Section 12 of the Act, the prayer for bail of a juvenile may be rejected 'if there appear reasonable grounds for believing that the release of the juvenile is likely to bring him into association with any known criminal or expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger or that his release would defeat the ends of justice'. The court has to see whether the opinion of the learned appellate Court as well as Juvenile Justice Board recorded in the impugned judgment and orders are in consonance with the provision of the Act. Section 12 of the Act lays down three contingencies in which bail may be refused to a juvenile offender. These are:- (i) if the release is likely to bring him into association with any known criminal, or (ii) expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger, or (iii) that his release would defeat the ends of justice? Gravity of the offence has not been mentioned as a ground to reject the bail. It is not a relevant factor while considering to grant bail to the juvenile. It has been so held by this Court in Shiv Kumar alias Sadhu Vs. State of U.P. 2010 (68) ACC 616(LB). It has been consistently followed in subsequent decisions of this court. Thus, it remains largely undisputed that the applicant was a juvenile on the date of occurrence; does not appear to be prone to criminal proclivity or criminal psychology, in light of the observations of the D.P.O; has been in confinement for an unduly long period of time. Even otherwise, there does not appear to exist any factor or circumstance mentioned in section 12 of the Act as may dis-entitle the revisionist to grant of bail, at this stage. The revisionist undertakes to address the statutory concerns expressed in section 12 of the Act, as to the safety and well being of the revisionist, upon his release. Having considered the submission made by the parties and taking into consideration the impugned judgment and order and the report of the District Probation Officer as also the legal proposition in reference to Section 12 as also Section 3(i)(iv)(v) and (xiv) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, co-accused named above have been granted bail, role assigned to the present revisionist, I am of the considered view that the learned lower court has committed material irregularity in arriving at the conclusion that the release of the revisionist on bail will defeat the ends of justice and there is possibility that the revisionist may fall in danger physically, morally and psychologically, if released on bail. In view of the observations made above, the present criminal revision is allowed. The judgment and order dated 08.01.2024 passed by the Juvenile Justice Board, Raebareli in Criminal Case No.48 of 2023 and order dated 01.03.2024 passed by Additional Sessions Judge/Special Judge POCSO Act (Exclusive) First, Raebareli in Criminal Appeal No.11 of 2024 are set aside and the revisionist is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs.10,000/- with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of Juvenile Justice Board, Raebareli subject to the condition that parent of the revisionist will take care of his education and betterment and will not allow to indulge him in any criminal activity and will keep constant check on his activities. Both the sureties are directed to be close relatives of the revisionist juvenile. Order Date :- 5.3.2025 Saurabh Yadav/- Digitally signed by :- SAURABH YADAV High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench