2026:JHHC:1356 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No. 11435 of 2025 ------ Satyanand Manjhi, S/o Late Rajendra Manjhi, R/o Village-Sagjor, Hethma, P.O. & P.S.-Kurdeg District-Simdega (Jharkhand) .... .... …. Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand .... .... .... Opposite Party CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE GAUTAM KUMAR CHOUDHARY For the Petitioner : Mr. Kripa Shankar Nanda, Advocate Mr. Niranjan Kr Sinha, Advocate For the State : Mr. Sunil Kumar Dubey, APP ------ Order No.02 / Dated : 19.01.2026. Heard both the sides. This bail application has been filed on behalf of Satyanand Manjhi who is in custody since 31/08/2025 in connection with Kersai P.S. Case No. 27 of 2025 corresponding to POCSO Case No. 29 of 2025 for the offence registered under Sections 64, 89 and 351 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Sections 4, 8 & 10 of POCSO Act pending in the Court of learned Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (POCSO), Simdega is pressed into motion. The informant is the father of the victim girl and as per the FIR, the petitioner, aged 19 years, eloped with the minor victim girl and under force and duress had established physical relationship with her resulting her pregnancy. It is submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that as per the statement given by the victim girl under Section 183 of B.N.S.S. as well as during her evidence, she was aged 17 years and she had left house by her own will without any inducement on the part of the petitioner. There is no material to show that any force or deceit was used by the petitioner who was also an adolescent boy. It is also submitted that the victim girl during trial was declared hostile. Learned A.P.P. for the State opposed the prayer for bail. Under the circumstances, the above-named petitioner is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs.25,000/-(Twenty-Five Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the Court below. (Gautam Kumar Choudhary, J.) Pawan/ Uploaded 20.01.2026