2026:JHHC:4359 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No. 01 of 2026 ------ Ajay Kumar Mehta, S/o Jageshwar Mahto, R/o Village-Tarwa, P.O.- Tarwa, P.S.-Muffasil, District-Hazaribagh .... .... …. Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand .... .... .... Opposite Party CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE GAUTAM KUMAR CHOUDHARY For the Petitioner : Mr. Gautam Kumar Pandey, Advocate For the State : Mr. Shailesh Kr. Sinha, APP ------ Order No.02 / Dated : 16.02.2026. Heard both the sides. This bail application has been filed on behalf of Ajay Kumar Mehta who is in custody since 18.10.2025 in connection with Hazaribagh Muffasil P.S. Case No. 145 of 2025 for the offence registered under Sections 137(2), 96 and 3(5) of the BNS pending in the Court of learned, C.J.M., Hazaribagh, is pressed into motion. The informant of the case is father of the victim girl, aged 17 years. It is said that the victim girl had gone to offer worship in nearby temple from where this petitioner and other accused persons kidnapped her. It is submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that there is no allegation of any sexual assault against the petitioner and the victim had herself eloped with this petitioner. The victim was examined as PW-1 on 10.02.2026 in which she did not support the prosecution case and was consequently 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 17.02.2026