Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.
Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:127901
Court No. - 65 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 25324 of 2025 Applicant :- Smt. Monika Opposite Party :- State of U.P. Counsel for Applicant :- Shivesh Mishra Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Krishan Pahal,J.
1. List has been revised.
2. Heard Sri Kumar Dhananjay, Advocate holding brief of Sri Shivesh Mishra, learned counsel for the applicant, Sri Atul Kumar Kushwaha, learned counsel for the informant as well as Sri Rajendra Prasad Singh, learned State Law Officer and perused the material placed on record.
3. Applicant seeks bail in Case Crime No. 61 of 2025, under Sections 80(2), 85 B.N.S. and 3/4 D.P. Act, Police Station- Shahpur, District- Muzaffarnagar, during the pendency of trial.
4. Learned counsel for the applicant has argued that the applicant is absolutely innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. The applicant is the sister-in-law (Bhabhi) of the deceased person and she lives separately to the husband and wife duo. As such, she has nothing to do with the said offence.
5. It is further argued by learned counsel for the applicant that the cause of death was asphyxia as a result of antemortem hanging. There is no criminal antecedent of the applicant. The applicant is languishing in jail since 22.5.2025 and she is ready to cooperate with trial. In case, the applicant is released on bail, she will not misuse the liberty of bail.
6. Learned counsel for the informant and learned State Law Officer have vehemently opposed the bail application on the ground that the deceased had expired within a period of four years of marriage.
7. The Supreme Court in Kahkashan Kausar @ Sonam vs The
State of Bihar, reported in (2022) 6 SCC 599 has categorically stated that the Courts should be careful in proceeding against the distant relatives in crimes pertaining to matrimonial disputes and dowry deaths. The relatives of the husband should not be roped in on the basis of omnibus allegations unless specific instances of their involvement in the crime are made out.
8. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case,
submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, the evidence on record, taking into consideration that applicant is the sister-in- law of the deceased person and she lives separately to the husband and wife duo, and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the Court is of the view that the applicant has made out a case for bail. The bail application is allowed.
9. Let the applicant- Smt. Monika, who is involved in aforementioned case crime be released on bail on her furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned subject to following conditions. Further, before issuing the release order, the sureties be verified. (i) The applicant shall not tamper with evidence during trial. (ii) The applicant shall not pressurize/intimidate the prosecution witnesses. (iii) The applicant shall appear before the trial court on the date fixed.
10. In case of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a ground for cancellation of bail.
11. It is made clear that observations made in granting bail to the applicant shall not in any way affect the learned trial Judge in forming his independent opinion based on the testimony of the witnesses.
Order Date :- 31.7.2025 Vikas (Justice Krishan Pahal) Digitally signed by :- VIKAS VERMA High Court of Judicature at Allahabad