p. 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK BLAPL No.3871 of 2026 Vinod Singh … Petitioner Mr. S.R. Das, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha … Opposite Party Mr. R.B. Mishra, Addl. PP CORAM: JUSTICE G. SATAPATHY Order No. ORDER(ORAL):12.05.2026 1 01. 1. This matter is taken up through Hybrid Arrangement (Virtual/Physical Mode). 2. This is a bail application U/S.483 of BNSS by the petitioner for grant of bail in connection with Bandamunda PS Case No.20 of 2020 corresponding to ST Case No.60/79 of 2020 pending in the file of learned 2nd Additional Sessions Judge, Rourkela, District- Sundargarh, for commission of offences punishable U/Ss.498(A)/304-B/302/34 of IPC r/w Section 4 of DP Act, on the main allegation of committing murder and dowry death of his wife by subjecting her to torture and cruelty for demand of dowry, along with co-accused persons in furtherance of their common intention. 3. Heard, Mr. Soumya Ranjan Das, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. R.B. Mishra, learned Addl. Public Prosecutor in the matter and perused the record. 4. It is stated at the Bar that the petitioner is in custody since 12.02.2020, but only 19 out of 39 p. 2 charge-sheeted witnesses have been examined; however, the petitioner is in custody more than six years. It is also found from the record that the petitioner was admitted to interim bail on two occasions, but he appears to have surrendered to custody on each occasion without violating the terms of the interim bail. The object of bail is neither punitive nor preventive, rather intended to secure attendance of the accused at the trial, nonetheless the petitioner has got an inherent right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty at the trial. Right to speedy trial is not an empty formality, but it is the fundamental right of the accused, however, detention in custody for more than six years by any set of standard is considered to be long custody and can be considered to be an infringement to the right to speedy trial of the accused. Further, co-accused Jaymangal Singh, Ramkrit Singh and Muni Devi have already been granted bail by a co- ordinate Bench of this Court in BLAPL No.3152 of 2020. In the aforesaid facts and circumstance and taking into account the pre-trial detention of the petitioner in custody for more than six years and failure of the State to ensure right to speedy trial for the petitioner and keeping in view the trial having not yet been completed even after six years of custody of the petitioner, this Court without expressing any view on merits admits the petitioner to bail. p. 3 5. Hence, the bail application of the petitioner stands allowed and the petitioner is allowed to go on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand) only with two solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned Court in seisin of the case on such terms and conditions as deem fit and proper by it. 6. Accordingly, the BLAPL stands disposed of. A soft copy of this order be immediately communicated to the concerned Court, who shall afterwards communicate the same to the concerned Jail through e- mail for reference. (G. Satapathy) Judge Subhasmita