( 2026:JHHC:16608 ) -1- A.B.A. No. 2686 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 2686 of 2026 Bittu Pandey @ Pasuram Pandey @ Parshu Ram Pandey, aged about 36 years, S/o Chotan Pandey @ Chhotan Pandey, R/o Banihari No.10, Near DAV School, Parasia, P.O. & P.S. Jharia, District- Dhanbad … Petitioner -Versus- The State of Jharkhand … Opposite Party ----- CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI ----- For the Petitioner : Mr. Mukesh Bihari Lal, Advocate For the State : Mr. Sunil Kumar Dubey, A.P.P. (Through VC) ----- 04/10.06.2026 Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and learned counsel for the State appearing through Video Conferencing. 2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Bank More (Bhuli O.P.) P.S. Case No.07/2023, registered for the offence under Sections 353, 420, 467, 468, 469, 471, 414, 506 of the IPC, pending in the Court of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dhanbad. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the Hywa of the petitioner, which has been taken by him on lease, has been stopped by the informant and when the enquiry was made by the petitioner why the same was stopped, false case has been lodged. He further submits that the allegations are made of tampering of the number plates, however, two Hywas were gone to garage for maintenance and in the garage, the mechanic has inadvertently fixed the number plate of one Hywa in another Hywa and crossed over the number plates in both the vehicles. He then submits that however in the vehicle in question, nothing illegal was loaded. He fairly submits that the petitioner is having three criminal antecedents, however, he has not received any notice in two of the cases by the investigating agency. ( 2026:JHHC:16608 ) -2- A.B.A. No. 2686 of 2026 On these grounds, he submits that anticipatory bail may kindly be granted to the petitioner. 4. Learned counsel for the State appearing through Video Conferencing opposed the prayer and submits that the allegations are there of tampering of forged number plates, tampering the chasis and having expired documents and in view of that, the prayer for anticipatory bail may kindly be rejected. 5. Considering that due to mistake of the mechanic, vehicles’ number plates have been fixed to another vehicle and crossed over number plates in both the vehicles and the D.T.O. has only reported that MV Tax period has expired and there is no doubt that the petitioner is having three criminal antecedents, however, that cannot be sole criterion either for allowing or rejecting the prayer for anticipatory bail and 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 Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dhanbad in connection with Bank More (Bhuli O.P.) P.S. Case No.07/2023, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) Dated: 10th June, 2026 Ajay/