Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC-LKO:20794 Court No. - 13 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 5369 of 2024 Applicant :- Mahesh Pratap Singh Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko. Counsel for Applicant :- Ajay Kumar Soni,Gaurav Mishra,Jay Prakash Singh Vats,O.P. Tiwari Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Manish Mathur,J. 1. Supplementary affidavit filed today is taken on record. 2. Heard learned counsel for applicant, learned Additional Government Advocate appearing on behalf of the State and perused the record. 3. This first bail application has been filed with regard to Case Crime No.65 of 2024, under Section 2/3(1) U.P.Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, P.S.-Jagdishpur, District Amethi. 4. It has been submitted that in the gang chart annexed as annexure no.2 of the affidavit filed in support of the bail application, the applicant is shown involved in six cases bearing Case Crime nos.436/2023, 255/2023, 76/2022, 266/2014, 315/2014, 346/2014 in which the applicant has already been enlarged on bail in Criminal Misc Bail Application No. 3847 of 2024, Bail Application Nos.3724 of 2023, 2628 of 2024 annexed as annexure SA-1 to the supplementary affidavit dated 07.11.2024, 1300 of 2014, 1407 of 2014 and 1657 of 2014. 5. It has been submitted that apart from the aforesaid cases, the applicant is alleged to have been involved in 12 other cases bearing Case Crime Nos. 448/2015, 217/2021, 122/2022, 61/2022, 10/2015, 11/2015, 616/2015, 440/2022, 91/2023, 214/2021, 219/2021, 437/2023 in which he has also been enlarged on bail. 6. Learned A.G.A. appearing on behalf of the State opposed the prayer for bail but does not dispute the aforesaid factual situation. 7. 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." 8. Upon consideration of submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties and perusal of material on record, prima facie, and subject to further evidence being led in trial, it appears that applicant has already been enlarged on bail in the cases shown in gang chart, therefore conditions indicated in Section 19(4) of U. P. Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 stands complied with at the stage, the applicant is entitled to be released on bail in this case. 9. Accordingly bail application is allowed. 10. Let applicant -Mahesh Pratap Singh involved in the aforesaid case crime be released on bail on his 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 his counsel. In case of his 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 his 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 :- 11.4.2025 Renu/- Digitally signed by :- RENU AGARWAL High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench