Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:139811 Court No. - 82 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 31889 of 2024 Applicant :- Ravindra Opposite Party :- State of U.P. Counsel for Applicant :- Raghuvansh Misra,Chandrajeet Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Sameer Jain,J. 1. Heard Sri Raghuvansh Misra, learned counsel for the applicant and Dr. S. B. Maurya, learned AGA-I for the State-respondent. 2. The instant application has been filed seeking release of the applicant on bail in Case Crime No. 176 of 2021, under Sections 420, 384 IPC and 8 Prevention of Corruption Act, Police Station Kotwali Shahar, District Bulandshahar, during pendency of the trial in the court below. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submitted that as per allegation made in the FIR, applicant, co-accused Kuldeep Saxena and Manoj were reporters and they made contact with informant who earlier indulged in illegal betting and assured him that they have made conversations with the police officers and therefore, he can start betting but for that he will have to pay money to them and thereafter complainant paid Rs. One lakh sixty thousand to them but in spite of that complainant could not commence betting and in spite of repeated demand his money has also not been returned by them. 4. He further submitted that however, entire allegations levelled against the applicant are totally false but even from the FIR it reflects informant indulged in illegal betting. 5. He further submitted that co-accused Kuldeep Saxena and Manoj who were also reporters have already been released on bail by this Court and their bail orders have been annexed alongwith the instant bail application and on facts case of applicant is at par with them. 6. He further submitted that however, it reflects that applicant could be arrested after three and half years but he is not an absconder. 7. He further submitted that in para-3 onwards of the supplementary affidavit dated 21.5.2025 filed in support to the instant bail application, applicant categorically made averment that after submission of the charge sheet, he filed anticipatory bail application and thereafter he also challanged the charge sheet and proceeding of the case before this Court under section 482 Cr.P.C. and therefore, from the record, it reflects that applicant was continuously seeking illegal remedies. 8. He further submitted that applicant is having no criminal history and he is in jail in the present matter since 18.7.2024 i.e. for last more than a year. 9. Per contra, learned AGA opposed the prayer for bail but could not dispute the arguments on facts advanced by learned counsel for the applicant. 10. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record of the case. 11. However, as per allegation applicant, co-accused Manoj and Kuldeep Saxena by playing fraud duped the informant and misappropriated his Rs. One lakh sixty thousand but it reflects co- accused Kuldeep Saxena and Manoj have already been released on bail by this Court and on facts case of applicant is at par with them. 12. Further, however it reflects applicant could only be arrested on 18.9.2024 i.e. after three and half years but considering the averment made by applicant in para-3 onwards of the supplementary affidavit dated 21.5.2025 filed in support to the instant bail application the argument advanced by learned counsel for the applicant with regard to the abscondance of the applicant cannot be brushed aside, at this stage. 13. Further, applicant is not having any previous criminal history to his credit and in the present matter, applicant is in jail in the present matter for last more than a year. 14. Therefore, considering the facts and circumstances of the case, discussed above, in my view, applicant is entitled to be released on bail. 15. Accordingly, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the instant bail application is allowed. 16. Let the applicant- Ravindra, be released on bail in the aforesaid case on furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions:- (i) The applicant shall appear before the trial court on the dates fixed, unless his personal presence is exempted. (ii) The applicant shall not directly or indirectly, make inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or any police officer or tamper with the evidence. (iii) The applicant shall not indulge in any criminal and anti-social activity. 17. In case of breach of any of the above condition, the prosecution will be at liberty to move an application before this Court for cancellation of the bail of the applicant. 18. It is clarified that the observations made herein are limited to the facts brought in by the parties pertaining to the disposal of bail application and the said observations shall have no bearing on the merits of the case during trial. Order Date :- 18.8.2025 Ankita Digitally signed by :- ANKITA SRIVASTAVA High Court of Judicature at Allahabad