Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:19637-DB CRIMINAL APPEAL (DB) NO. 529 OF 2026 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 529 of 2026 Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia @ Pankaj Kumar Karmali (A-23), S/o Kishore Karmali, R/o Vill- Bundu, P.O. & P.S.- Keradari, Dist.- Hazaribagh. ... Appellant Versus Union of India through NIA, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, P.O. & P.S.- New Delhi, Dist.- New Delhi-110003 … Respondent ---- PRESENT HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RONGON MUKHOPADHYAY HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR RAI ---- For the Appellant : Mrs. Saumya Pandey, Adv. For the Resp. : Mr. Amit Kumar Das, Sr. Adv. ---- Dated : 30/06/2026 1. Heard Mrs. Saumya Pandey, learned counsel for the appellant and Mr. Amit Kumar Das, learned senior counsel for the NIA. 2. This appeal is directed against the order dated 14-11-2025 passed in M.C.A. No. 1890/2025 in connection with Special NIA Case No. 01/2021 arising out of RC-01/2021/NIA/RNC by Sri Abhimanyu Kumar, learned A.J.C-XVI-cum-Special Judge for NIA Cases, Ranchi, whereby and whereunder, the prayer for bail of the appellant has been rejected. 3. It has been alleged that on 18.12.2020 an information was received at Balumath Police Station that some unknown persons were burning vehicles and firing indiscriminately near Check Post No.1 at Tetariakhad Colliery. The miscreants had fired at the Police party that had rushed to spot and had also burnt 04 trucks, 01 motorcycle and had also injured 04 civilians. From Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:19637-DB CRIMINAL APPEAL (DB) NO. 529 OF 2026 2 the place of occurrence remnants of burnt vehicles, fragments of a can bomb with wire, spent cartridges, handwritten pamphlets issuing threats to transporters and coal companies involved in mining signed by one Pradeep Ganjhu etc. were found. On inquiry it was revealed that gangster Sujit Sinha and Aman Sahu had conspired with Pradeep Ganjhu and his associates namely Santosh Ganjhu, Pramod Ganjhu and others in disruption of Government work as well as for extortion. 4. Based on the aforesaid allegations Balumath P.S. Case No. 234/2020 was instituted for the offences punishable u/s 147, 148, 149, 353, 504, 506, 307, 427, 435, 386, 387, 120-B, 121- A, 216 of the IPC, sections 3/4 of the Explosive Substances Act, section 17 of the CLA Act and sections 10, 13, 16(1), (b), 20 and 23 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India in exercise of powers conferred u/s 6(5) read with section 8 of the NIA vide F. No. 11011/01/2020/NIA dated 07.01.2020 directed the National Investigation Agency to take up investigation of Balumath P.S. Case No. 234/2020 which was re-registered as Case No. 01/2021/NIA-RNC. Charge-sheet was subsequently submitted against the appellant and other accused persons. 5. It has been submitted by Mrs. Saumya Pandey, learned counsel for the appellant that the appellant has been implicated on the confession of co-accused. Several co-accused persons have been granted bail in Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 1412 of 2023, Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 51 of 2022, Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 205 of 2022 and Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 98 of 2022. It has been submitted that the appellant is in custody since 03-11-2022 and there is no chance of the trial being concluded in the near future. 6. Mr. Amit Kumar Das, learned senior counsel for the NIA has submitted that under a conspiracy, arms and ammunitions were Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:19637-DB CRIMINAL APPEAL (DB) NO. 529 OF 2026 3 supplied to the appellant and others and this led to indiscriminate firing at Shivpuri Siding. It has been submitted that Sujit Sinha and Aman Sahu had colluded with the members of a banned terrorist organization and the appellant and others had executed the plan of carrying out a terror attack at Tetariakhad Colliery on 18-12-2020 resulting in injuries to four civilians and destruction of property including burning of four trucks and one motorcycle. The protected witness “D” and “E” were present at Tetariakhad Colliery at the time of the incident and they have identified the appellant and several others through photographs and their role has been assigned of making indiscriminate firing at Tetariakhad Colliery. The total number of prosecution witnesses have been pruned down to 127 and 34 witnesses have already been examined. Mr. Das has submitted that the prayer for bail of several co-accused persons have been rejected by this Court. 7. We have heard the learned counsel for the respective parties and have also perused the affidavits on record. 8. The appellant has been arrayed as (A-23) in the Second Supplementary Charge Sheet submitted by the NIA. The Second Supplementary Charge Sheet is replete with the involvement of the appellant in the terror attack at Tetariakhad Colliery. Some of the relevant paragraphs reads as follows. “17.9 Investigation revealed that accused Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia (A-23) was involved in criminal activities since longwith Shahrukh Ansari, Saif Ansari and Ajay Turi. In 2018, they came in contact with one Bajiram Mahto, a PLFI (People Liberation Front of India) cadre who facilitated their meeting with Dinesh Gope, self-styled commander of PLFI (a banned unlawful organization). They along with said Bajiram Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:19637-DB CRIMINAL APPEAL (DB) NO. 529 OF 2026 4 Mahto abducted one Jaleshwar Mahto, the Block Pramukh of Gola for Ransom. Accused Shahrukh Ansari, Ajay Turi and Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia (A- 23) were arrested in this case and were sent to Ramgarh jail. 17.11 Investigation has revealed that accused Sujit Sinha and Aman Sahu being incarcerated in District Jail Jamshedpur and BMC Jail, Ranchi respectively in association with members of banned associations had hatched a larger conspiracy to terrorize the Coal Businessmen, Transporters, DO Holders, Lifters and others to collect extortion money by committing terrorist act. In this process, in pursuance to conspiracy this terrorist gang consisting of Pradip Ganjhu @ Prem @ Mandal (A-3), Santosh Ganjhu (A-4), Bihari Ganjhu (A-5), Sakendra Ganjhu (A-6), Pramod Ganjhu (A-7), Babulal Turi (A- 8), Saif Ansari (A- 20), Shahrukh Ansari (A-21), Ajay Turi (A-22)and Pankaj Karmali @Khetia (A-23)carried out a terror incident at Tetriyakhand Colliery, PS-Balumath, District Latehar on 18.12.2020 resulting in injuries to 04 civilians, burning of 04 trucks and 01 motorcycle. The gang members had also dropped threatening pamphlets, asking the Coal Businessmen, Transporters, D.O. Holders, Lifters and others to pay the said gang extortion money or else to face dire consequences. 17.16 Investigation brought out that on 18.12.2020 at about 06:30 PM, Ajay Turi (A-22) and Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia (A-23) carried out recce at Tetariyakhad colliery. At about 07:00 PM, Pradip Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:19637-DB CRIMINAL APPEAL (DB) NO. 529 OF 2026 5 Ganjhu (A-3), Santosh Ganjhu (A-4), Bihari Ganjhu (A-5), Sakendra Ganjhu (A-6), Pramod Ganjhu (A-7), Babulal Turi (A-8), Saif Ansari(A-20), Shahrukh Ansari (A-21), Ajay Turi (A-22) and Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia (A-23) reached Tetariyakhad colliery and carried out indiscriminate firing near Check Post No. 1 in which 04 civilians were injured. They also burnt 04 trucks & 01 motorcycle and exploded Cane Bombs beneath a truck and Weigh Bridge No. 1. During this terror incident, they dropped threatening pamphlets on behalf of Pradip Ganjhu (A-3) for collection of extortion. 17.35 Investigation brought out that Protected Witnesses 'D' & 'E' were present at Tetariyakhad colliery at the time of firing by Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia (A- 23), Saif Ansari (A-20), Shahrukh Ansari(A-21) and other co-accused on 18.12.2020. During Photo Identification proceedings in presence of independent witnesses, the said protected witnesses identified the photographs of Saif Ansari (A-20), Shahrukh Ansari(A-21), Ajay Turi(A-22) along with Pradip Ganjhu (A-3), Santosh Ganjhu (A-4), Bihari Ganjhu (A-5) Sakendra Ganjhu (A-6), Pramod Ganjhu (A-7), Babulal Turi (A-8) and Pankaj Karmali @ Khetia (A-23) and stated that these persons had carried out indiscriminate firing near Check Post No.01 at Tetariyakhad colliery in which 04 civilians were injured. They burnt 04 trucks, one motorcycle and dropped threatening pamphlets in the name of Pradip Ganjhu (A-3) to collect extortion on behalf Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:19637-DB CRIMINAL APPEAL (DB) NO. 529 OF 2026 6 of Sujit Sinha (A-1).” 9. What would transpire from the above is that the presence of the appellant at the time of the terror incident at Tetariakhad Colliery has been ascertained by the prosecution witnesses “D” and “E” by identifying the appellant through photographs. Several other accused persons were also present as per the said protected witnesses and their bail applications have been rejected by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 133 of 2023, Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 549 of 2023, Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 781 of 2023 and Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 744 of 2023. The appellant also has a criminal antecedent of being involved in the kidnapping of one Jaleshwar Mahto. The case of the present appellant is distinguishable from those co- accused persons who have been granted bail. 10. The culpability of the appellant in the terror incident at Tetariakhad Colliery being evident and which has been correctly appreciated by the learned trial court, we are not inclined to interfere in the impugned order dated 14-11-2025 passed in M.C.A. No. 1890/2025 in connection with Special NIA Case No. 01/2021 arising out of RC-01/2021/NIA/RNC and consequently, we dismiss this appeal. 11. Pending I.A.(s), if any, stands closed. (RONGON MUKHOPADHYAY, J.) (ARUN KUMAR RAI, J.) Dated: 30th June, 2026 Preet/- Uploaded on: 08 /07 /2026.