1 2025:HHC:23012 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT SHIMLA Cr. MP(M) No.  : 1506 of 2025 Reserved on : 09th July, 2025 Decided on   : 17th July, 2025 Ajay Kumar …Applicant Versus State of H.P. …Respondent _______________________________________________________ Coram Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge Whether approved for reporting? ________________________________________________ For the  Applicant  : Mr. Prashant Sharma, Advocate. For the Respondent : Mr.   Anup   Rattan,   Advocate General,   with   Mr.   Tejasvi Sharma,   Mohinder   Zharaick and Mr. H.S. Rawat, Additional Advocates General   with   Mr.   Rohit Sharma,   Deputy   Advocate General. Virender Singh, Judge Applicant Ajay Kumar  has filed the present application, under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha   Sanhita   (hereinafter   referred   to   as   ‘the 2 2025:HHC:23012 BNSS’)   for   releasing   him,   on   bail,   during   the pendency of the trial, in case FIR No.3 of 2025, dated 1.1.2025, registered under Sections 109, 333, 191(3), 190, 115(2), 352, 351(2), 61 (2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita   (hereinafter   referred   to   as   ‘the   BNS’)   and Section 25 of Arms Act, with Police Station, Sadar Bilaspur, District Bilaspur, H.P. 2. The applicant has pleaded the fact that he is innocent person and has falsely been implicated,  in the present case, as, he has no concern whatsoever, with the offence, for which, he has been arrested, by the police. 3. According to the applicant, he is in judicial custody   and   according   to   him,   no   useful   purpose would be served by keeping him in judicial custody. 4. The   applicant   has   earlier   tried   his   luck   by moving   similar   application,   before   the   Court   of learned   Additional   Sessions   Judge,   Ghumarwin, 3 2025:HHC:23012 District Bilaspur, H.P. However, the same has been dismissed on 2.6.2025. 5. The applicant has further pleaded that he is the sole bread earner of his family. 6. It  is  the   further   case   of  the   applicant  that apart from the present case, one another case has been registered against him, particulars of which, are reproduced as under: i) FIR No. 77/2022, dated 12.5.2022, under Sections 307, 341, 323 and Section 34 IPC and Sections 196 and 181 of M.V. Act. 7. The   applicant,   through   his   counsel,   has undertaken to abide by the terms and conditions, to be imposed by this Court, in case, he is ordered to be released on bail, during the pendency of the trial. 8. Learned counsel appearing for the applicant has submitted   that   even,   on   the   ground   of   parity,   the applicant is entitled to be released on bail, as his co­ accused,   namely   Ashwani   Thakur,   has   already   been released on bail, by  this  Court, vide order, dated 27th June, 2025. 4 2025:HHC:23012 9. On   these   submissions,   a   prayer   has   been made to allow the bail application. 10. When put to notice, the police has filed the status  report, disclosing therein, that   on 1.1.2025, as per the information recorded in rapat No.36, Police Station, Sadar, one person has sustained injuries in a   scuffle   at   Parnali   and   said   injured   has   been brought   for   treatment   to   AIIMS,   Bilaspur,   upon which,   ASI   Hem   Singh,   alongwith   other   police officials, in order to verify the said fact, reached at AIIMS,   Bilaspur,   H.P.,   where   Incharge   AIIMS   Cell, H.C. Vikas Sharma was present. He has submitted MLC   of   injured   Ramesh   Kumar,   blood   samples, specimen   seals   and   docket   for   RFSL   to   ASI   Hem Singh. 10.1 After obtaining information from the Doctor, statement of   injured Ramesh Kumar was recorded by ASI   Hem Singh. In his statement, complainant Ramesh Kumar has disclosed that he is resident of 5 2025:HHC:23012 Kishangarh, District Jaipur, Rajasthan, and working in the Amul Milk Plant, Parnali, District Bilaspur, for the last four months. 10.2 There   were   total   10­12   employees. On 1.1.2025,   when,   the   complainant   alongwith   other employees reached at the Milk Plant, then, at about 11:15 a.m., Shashi Kant @ Sintu, who is stated to be Route Transporter in the Company came there and abused   them. He   has   started   beating   the complainant   with   the   fist   blows. Other   employees tried to intervene, upon which, Shashi Kant had also started beating Karan Sharma. Other employees who were   present   there   intervened   and   saved   Karan Sharma. Thereafter, Shashi Kant left the spot while abusing the complainant and Karan Sharma. After some time, he again came alongwith his companions, namely   Rohit     and   3­4   other   persons,   laced   with swords, hockey sticks and dandas. 6 2025:HHC:23012 10.3 After abusing them, they  entered in the milk plant and Rohit and another person had attacked the complainant with sword and hockey stick. Rohit is stated to have inflicted sword blow on the head of the complainant. According to his further version, had his co­employees   not   saved him, he would have been killed. 10.4 Lastly, the complainant has stated that Rohit, Shashi   Kant   and   other   employees   hatched   the conspiracy to kill him and for that purpose, they had inflicted injuries on the person of the complainant, with swords, hockey sticks and dandas. 10.5. On the basis of above facts, the Police has registered a case under Sections 115(2), 352, 351(2), 191(2), 190, 191(3) and 109 of BNS. Thereafter, ASI Hem Singh had started the investigation. 10.6. On 1.1.2025, I.O. recorded the statements of Tarun   Nadda,   Deepak   Kumar   and   HHG   Sanjeev Kumar, under Section 180 of BNSS. On 1.1.2025, 7 2025:HHC:23012 one Manoj Kumar  has produced  vehicle No.HP24D­ 8184, allegedly used by accused Shashi Kant, in the crime in question, before the Police, which was also taken into possession. 10.7. On   2.1.2025,   ASI   Hem   Singh,   on   the identification of eye witness Kamal Thakur, visited the spot and prepared the spot map. From the spot, blood samples were collected with the help of expert. Forensic  report  regarding   scene   of  occurrence  was prepared and CCTV footage was perused. 10.8 Thereafter,   injured   Ramesh   Kumar   had produced the wearing apparels, worn by him, at the time   of   incident,   which   were   also   taken   into possession. 10.9 On   2.1.2025,   accused   Vikas   Sankhyan produced vehicle HP 24 E 2522, alongwith its keys, and Registration Certificate, which were also taken into   possession. Accused   Vikas   Sankhyan   was inquired, who has disclosed that at the instance of 8 2025:HHC:23012 accused Shashi Kant and other accused persons, he had kept hockey sticks, base ball bat and danda in his vehicle, mentioned above. His involvement in the case   was   found,   as   such,   he   was   arrested   on 2.1.2025. 10.10. On 3.1.2025, Vikas Sankhyan was produced, before the Court, from where, he was remanded to Police custody. During remand, it is disclosed that 100 meters away from the Milk plant, Parnali, Shashi Kant, Dheeraj Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Dinesh Kumar @ Goldy, Ajay Kumar (applicant) and Ashwani Thakur met him. Accused Shashi Kant and his companion disclosed   to   him   that   they   had   to   beat   the   plant employees to death. The aforesaid persons are stated to have beaten one Pritam Singh. Shashi Kant and other   co­accused   had   directed   Vikas   Sankhyan   to keep the weapons in his vehicle, upon which, Vikas Sankhyan had kept the weapons in his vehicle. 9 2025:HHC:23012 10.11 On   5.1.2025,   he   has   made   disclosure statement, under Section 23 of BSA. On 5.1.2025, the I.O., received a secret information regarding the fact that other accused were seen at Nauni, upon which, the I.O. reached there. On the same day,  as per the secret information, the I.O. alongwith other police   officials,   regarding   the   presence   of   other accused persons, at Nauni, reached there, where he noticed four persons. On inquiry, they disclosed their names as Rohit Kumar, Shashi Kant, Dinesh Kumar and   Dheeraj   Kumar. They   were   inquired   and   on finding their involvement in the crime in question, they were arrested. 10.12 On 6.1.2025, they were produced before the competent Court of law and were remanded to Police custody   till   8.1.2025. The   aforesaid   four   persons, during   police   custody,   revealed   that   accused   Ajay Kumar   @   Monu   (applicant)   and   Ashwani   Thakur were also with them. All of them, after committing the 10 2025:HHC:23012 crime   in   question,   are   stated   to   have   fled   away, towards Chandigarh, alongwith the weapons, in the vehicle of Rohit Kumar. Rohit Kumar also disclosed that weapons used in the crime in question were kept concealed in his vehicle and he can get recovered the car, as well as, the weapons in question. 10.13 On 7.1.2025, accused Vikas Sankhyan was produced before the learned CJM, Bilaspur, and he was remanded to Police custody, till 20.1.2025. On 7.1.2025,   accused   Rohit   Kumar   made   disclosure statement under Section 23 of the BSA and identified the place of occurrence and also got recovered vehicle No. HP 23A­5240, alongwith weapons of offence, i.e. sword alongwith its cover, hockey stick, base ball bat and   one   danda. Statements   of   witnesses   were recorded under Section 180 of BNSS. On 7.1.2025, accused Ajay Kumar (applicant) and Ashwani Thakur appeared before the Police, who were inquired by the 11 2025:HHC:23012 Police and after finding their involvement in the crime in question, all of them were arrested. 10.14 On   15.01.2025,   weapons   of   offence,   which were   got   recovered   in   pursuance   of   disclosure statements, and were kept in Police mallkhana, were got identified from the complainant. Thereafter, final opinion was obtained, upon which, the Doctor opined that the injuries with these types of weapons, could be   grievous. Thereafter,   Doctor   also   opined   that injury Nos. 1 and 2, on the person of injured Ramesh Kumar, are dangerous to life. 10.15 Against  accused  Ajay   Kumar,   the   following case is found to have been registered: i) FIR No. 77 of 2022, dated 12.5.2022, under Sections 307, 341, 323, 34 IPC and Sections 196 and 181 of M.V. Act, with Police Station, Bilaspur, H.P. 10.16 After completion of investigation, Police filed charge   sheet   and   submitted   the   same   in   the competent   Court   of   law   on   27.3.2025. Physical 12 2025:HHC:23012 evidence, so sent to the FSL, and report regarding the same, is stated to have been received. 10.17 Lastly,   it   has   been   apprehended   that applicant is very clever person and, in case, he is ordered to be released on bail, he may coerce the witnesses and allure them to depose in his favour and may also repeat the same incident. 10.18. As such, a prayer has been made to dismiss the application. 11. Investigation in the present case is complete. As per the status report, involvement of the applicant has been found, on the basis of revelations, made by his co­accused. Considering the fact that nothing has been   recovered   at   his   instance   or   from   his possession, read with the fact that the role attributed to the applicant, in the crime in question, would be proved during the trial, this Court is of the view that applicant is able to make out a case for bail, in his favour. 13 2025:HHC:23012 12. Considering the fact that investigation, in the present case, is complete, this Court is of the view that no useful purpose would be served by keeping the   applicant   in   judicial   custody,   that   too,   for indefinite period. 13. Applicant   is   permanent   resident   of   District Bilaspur, as such, it cannot be apprehended that he may not be available for trial. 14. So far as registration of another case, that too under   Section   307   of   the   IPC,   is   concerned, admittedly, in the said case, the applicant has not been convicted by the competent Court of law. Mere registration of the FIR is too short to take away the presumption of innocence, which is still available to the applicant. 15. Dismissal of the bail application, even after completion of investigation and filing of the charge sheet, is nothing, but pre­trial punishment, which is prohibited under the law. 14 2025:HHC:23012 16. So far as the apprehensions, which have been expressed   by   the   Police,   in   the   status   report,   are concerned,   for   those   apprehensions,   reasonable conditions can be imposed, in case, the applicant is released on bail. 17. Considering the totality of the circumstances, especially the fact that involvement of the applicant has   been   found   by   the   police   on   the   basis   of revelations,   made   by   his   co­accused,   before   the Police,   this   Court   is   of   the   view   that   no   useful purpose would be served by keeping him in judicial custody. 18. Moreover, the applicant is also entitled  to  grant of bail on the basis of parity, as his co­accused, namely, Ashwani Thakur  has already been released on bail, by this Court, vide order, dated 27th June, 2025, passed in Cr.MP(M) No.1354 of 2025. 19. Considering all these facts, this Court is of the   view   that   the   bail   application   is   liable   to   be allowed and is accordingly allowed. 15 2025:HHC:23012 20. Consequently, the applicant is ordered to be released on bail in case FIR No. 3 of 2025, dated 1.1.2025, registered under Sections 109, 333, 191(3), 190,   115(2),   352,   351(2),   61   (2)   of   the   BNS   and Section 25 of Arms Act, with Police Station, Sadar, District   Bilaspur,   H.P.,  on   his   furnishing   personal bond in the sum of Rs. 50,000/­, with one surety in the like amount, to the satisfaction of learned trial Court. 21. This order, however, shall be subject to the following conditions:­ a) Applicant   shall   regularly   attend   the   trial   Court   on each and every date of hearing and if prevented by any   reason   to   do   so,   seek   exemption   from appearance by filing the appropriate application; b) Applicant   shall   not   tamper   with   the   prosecution evidence nor hamper the investigation of the case in any  manner whatsoever; c) Applicant shall not make any inducement, threat or promises to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade them from disclosing such facts to the Court or the Police Officer, and d) Applicant shall not leave the territory of India without the prior permission of the Court. 16 2025:HHC:23012 22. Any of the observations, made herein above, shall not be taken, as an expression of opinion, on the   merits   of   the   case,   as   these   observations   are confined,   only   to   the   disposal   of   the   present   bail application. 23. It is made clear that the respondent­State is at liberty to move an appropriate application, in case, any of the bail conditions is found to be violated by the applicant. 24. The Registry is directed to forward a soft copy of the bail order to the Superintendent Jail, Open Air Jail, Bilaspur, H.P., through e­mail, with a direction to   enter   the   date   of   grant   of   bail   in   the   e­prison software. 25. In case, the applicant is  not released within a period of seven days from the date of grant of bail, the   Superintendent   Jail,   Open   Air   Jail,   Bilaspur, H.P., is directed to inform this fact to the Secretary, DLSA, Bilaspur. The Superintendent Jail, Open Air 17 2025:HHC:23012 Jail,   Bilaspur,   H.P.,   is   further   directed   that   if   the applicant fails to furnish the bail bonds, as per the order passed by this Court   within a period of one month from today, then, the said fact be submitted to this Court. (Virender Singh) Judge July 17, 2025 (ps) Digitally signed by VIKRANT CHANDEL Date: 2025.07.17 13:16:28 IST