( 2026:JHHC:14652 ) -1- A.B.A. No. 2447 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 2447 of 2026 Sanjit Mandal, aged about 31 years, son of Manilal Mandal, resident of Village Lakhibad, P.O. Nagari, P.S. Kundahit, District- Jamtara, Jharkhand … Petitioner -Versus- The State of Jharkhand … Opposite Party ----- CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI ----- For the Petitioner : Mr. Satyanshu Shubham, Advocate For the State : Mr. Fahad Allam, A.P.P. For the JBVNL : Mr. Abhishek Singh, Advocate ----- 04/13.05.2026 Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, learned counsel appearing for the State and learned counsel appearing for the JBVNL. 2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Kundahit P.S. Case No.7/2026, registered for the offence under Sections 316(2), 318(4), 319(2) of the BNS and Sections 135/138 of Electricity Act, pending in the Court of the learned Special Judge, Jamtara. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner resides in the house, where, the electricity meter is in the name of his brother. He further submits that the allegations are made of loss of Rs.20,455/- to the Electricity Department by misappropriating the unit of electricity. He then submits that the allegations are made that by doing forgery, the electricity bill is not being paid by the petitioner. He next submits that the said amount has already been paid by the petitioner, contained in Annexure-2 of this application. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State and JBVNL jointly opposed the prayer and submit that there is loss of Rs.20,455/- to the Electricity Department by misappropriating the unit of electricity, however, they are not ( 2026:JHHC:14652 ) -2- A.B.A. No. 2447 of 2026 disputing that the said amount has already been paid by the petitioner. 5. Annexure-2 is the document, which clearly suggests that the amount of Rs.20,455/- has already been deposited by the petitioner to the JBVNL. In the attending facts and circumstances of the case, I am inclined to extend the privilege of anticipatory bail to the petitioner. 6. Accordingly, the above-named petitioner is directed to surrender before the learned Court within three weeks from today and in the event of his arrest or surrender, he shall be enlarged 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 learned Special Judge, Jamtara in connection with Kundahit P.S. Case No.7/2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) Dated: 13th May, 2026 Ajay/