2025:JHHC:13212 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No.2089 of 2025 ----- Sheetal Laguri @ Shital Laguri, S/o Rabindra Nath Laguri, Village Baihatu, P.O. Tonto, Baihatu, P.S. Tonto, District West Singhbhum (Jharkhand). .......... Petitioner. -Versus- The State of Jharkhand .......... Opp. Party. ----- CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH SHANKAR ----- For the Petitioner : Mr. Asif Khan, Advocate For the State : Mr. Arup Kumar Dey, APP ----- Order No.05 Date: 02.05.2025 1. The petitioner is an accused in the case registered under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner’s regular bail application was earlier rejected by this Court vide order dated 14th July, 2023 passed in B.A. No.1878 of 2023. By way of present bail application, the petitioner has renewed his prayer for regular bail. It is further submitted that the petitioner is in judicial custody in connection with the present case since 8th September, 2022 and there is no positive progress in the trial. The petitioner has been implicated in the present case merely on the basis of confessional statement of co-accused persons while they were in police custody. Co-accused persons who were convicted in connected trial i.e. S.T. Case No.209 of 2016 have been granted bail by suspending their sentences vide orders dated 1st November, 2022 and 13th July, 2023 passed by different Benches of this Court in Cr. Appeal (DB) Nos.235 of 2022 and 621 of 2023, respectively. The petitioner could not appear before the concerned Trial Court earlier, leading to separation of trial primarily due to the reason that he being poor person had gone 2025:JHHC:13212 2 outside to earn his livelihood. Except the present case, he has no criminal antecedent, as has been stated in paragraph no.21 of the present bail application. The petitioner also undertakes to fully co- operate in ongoing trial. Under the said circumstance, he may be given the privilege of regular bail. 3. Learned APP opposes the petitioner’s prayer for regular bail. 4. On perusal of the status report of S.T. Case No.129 of 2017 submitted by the concerned trial court i.e. District & Additional Sessions Judge- IV, West Singhbhum at Chaibasa dated 27th March, 2025, it appears that out of 12 charge-sheet witnesses, only two have been examined so far, whereas one of the witnesses i.e. informant of the case has already died. 5. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and considering that the petitioner is in judicial custody since 8th September, 2022 and only two witnesses out of 12 charge-sheet witnesses have been examined so far, this Court is inclined to enlarge the petitioner above named on bail. Accordingly, the petitioner is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount, each, to the satisfaction of learned Additional Sessions Judge-IV, West Singhbhum at Chaibasa in connection with S.T. Case no.129 of 2017, arising out of Mufassil P.S. Case no.67 of 2016, corresponding to G.R. no.269(S) of 2016 with a condition that the petitioner shall remain physically present before the court below as and when required failing which the concerned trial court is at liberty to cancel his bail bond. (Rajesh Shankar, J.) Sanjay/