Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:70521 Court No. - 69 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION U/S 482 BNSS No. - 3429 of 2025 Applicant :- Mohammad Ali Opposite Party :- State of U.P. and Another Counsel for Applicant :- Ansar Ahmad Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Vivek Varma,J. 1. This application has been filed seeking anticipatory bail in Complaint Case No. 612 of 2019, under Sections 498A, 323, 377 of I.P.C. and Sections 3/4 of Dowry Prohibition Act, Police Station- Kotwali, District- Etawah. 2. At the outset, learned A.G.A. submits that earlier the applicant had approached this Court by filing Application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. No. 34533 of 2022 (Mohd. Ali and 4 others vs. State of U.P. and another) for quashing the summoning order dated 01.09.2022 as well as entire proceedings of the present case. On the submission of counsel for the applicant, the Court vide order dated 01.12.2022 referred the matter to the Mediation Centre of this Court and directed the applicant to deposit a sum of Rs. 25,000/-. The applicant did not deposit the aforesaid amount. Consequently, the mediation proceedings did not commence. The said application is still pending. Further, the applicant is evading the process of law and has failed to appear before the court concerned. On that ground he submits that the applicant is not entitled for anticipatory bail. 3. Heard counsel for the applicant, Sri Neeraj Kumar Sharma, learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the record. 4. Perusal of the record reflects that earlier, the applicant had approached this Court by filing Application under Section 482 Cr.P.C. No. 34533 of 2022 (Mohd. Ali and 4 others vs. State of U.P. and another) for quashing the summoning order dated 01.09.2022 as well as entire proceedings of the present case. On the submission of counsel for the applicant, the Court vide order dated 01.12.2022 referred the matter to the Mediation Centre of this Court and directed the applicant to deposit a sum of Rs. 25,000/-. The applicant did not deposit the said amount. Consequently, the mediation proceedings did not commence. The said application is still pending. Further, the proceedings of the court concerned have been held up on account of non-appearance of the applicant and as such the applicant is fleeing from the process of law without any reasonable cause. 5. "Fleeing from justice" refers to the act of accused in evading or avoiding arrest, prosecution, or punishment for a crime. An accused in aforesaid act tries to avoid facing criminal prosecution by often avoiding summons, warrants and other process issued by the court. An accused is legally bound to comply with the summons issued by the court of law except where the process is challenged before the higher forum by the accused. Any person who has been issued process by court of law cannot be permitted to evade the same thereby not permitting the court of law to proceed in the administration of justice. The said act of accused in avoiding the process of court of law without any justification effects the very cause of justice. An accused fleeing from justice without reasonable cause has the effect of stopping/slowing the criminal process of law which effects the cause of speedy justice to the victim or society at large. Non appearance of an accused before the court concerned when the summons has been served (without reasonable explanation for non-appearance) may be indicative of the fact that such accused do not have respect to the process of law. 6. It is important for rule of law to prevail that the criminal trial is completed without delay. Where an accused flees from the process of law and thereby avoids appearing before the court, the very concept of speedy trial is put at peril and justice to the victim is delayed. 7. The Supreme Court in Vipan Kumar Dhir v. State of Punjab, (2021) 15 SCC 518 has observed that while granting bail, especially anticipatory bail which is per se extraordinary in nature, the possibility of the accused to influence prosecution witnesses, threatening the family members of the deceased, fleeing from justice or creating other impediments in the fair investigation, ought not to be overlooked. 8. While considering the question of whether an accused is fleeing from justice, the conduct of the accused in respect of the process of law is required to be considered. In criminal prosecution when the court finds material against the accused sufficient for prosecution, the court issues summons or warrants for appearance to the accused for participation in the trial. When the summons or warrants are served on the accused in accordance with law then duty is cast on the accused to appear before the court concerned except where there exists justification for non- appearance of the accused. An accused who is served with the process of court and fails to appear before the court concerned without any reasonable cause can be said to be fleeing from the process of law. 9. In view of the above facts, it is evident that the applicant is evading the process of law and has remained absent from the court proceedings for a period of about three years which is indicative of the fact that the applicant is fleeing from the process of law. In view, thereof, such conduct of the applicant does not entitle him for grant of anticipatory bail. 10. The application is dismissed accordingly. Order Date :- 2.5.2025 Sachin Mishra Digitally signed by :- SACHIN MISHRA High Court of Judicature at Allahabad