2026:JHHC:20256 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No. 5098 of 2026 Nitish Kumar Soni, age 23 years, S/o Sukhdev Prasad @ Sukhdev Prasad Soni … … Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand … … Opposite Party --- CORAM :HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANUBHA RAWAT CHOUDHARY --- For the Petitioner : Mr. Kripa Shankar Nanda, Advocate For the Opp. Party-State : Mr. Pankaj Kumar, Advocate --- 03/09.07.2026 1. Heard the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the parties. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody since 22.12.2025 in connection with Chainpur P.S. Case No. 47 of 2025 corresponding POCSO Case No. 08 of 2026, for the alleged offence registered under Sections 137(2), 144, 95, 61(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and under Section 5(2) of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and under Section 13, 14 of POCSO Act and under Section 75, 79 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act pending in the court of learned Exclusive Special Judge POCSO Court cum Additional Sessions Judge-IV, Gumla. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner has been made accused primarily because of the reason that he was present at the spot. He has submitted that the charge sheet has been submitted. Learned counsel has further submitted that as per the first information report itself, all the accused persons were apprehended along with the girl and she was recovered prior to any harm on her. 4. He has submitted that similarly situated co-accused persons namely Nandni Kumari and Kaif Raja, who was the driver of the vehicle, have been enlarged on bail in B.A. No. 4392 of 2026 and B.A. 1139 of 2026 vide order dated 26.05.2026 and 07.04.2026 2026:JHHC:20256 2 respectively. Learned counsel has also submitted that the petitioner does not have any criminal antecedent. 5. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the opposite party-State has opposed the prayer for bail and has submitted that the petitioner was in contact with the other co-accused. However, it is not in dispute that the other co-accused have been enlarged on bail. 6. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties and considering the fact that other co-accused, who were present at the spot and were apprehended, have been enlarged on bail , the charge sheet having been submitted and the petitioner has no criminal antecedent, the petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 25,000/- (Rs. Twenty five thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Exclusive Special Judge POCSO Court cum Additional Sessions Judge-IV, Gumla in connection with Chainpur P.S. Case No. 47 of 2025 corresponding to POCSO Case No. 08 of 2026 on the following conditions: (i) One of the bailors would be the present pairvikar of the petitioner. (ii) The other bailor should be his close relative. (iii) The petitioner will attend the court on each and every date and on account of his single default, the learned court shall cancel the bail bond furnished by the petitioner. (iv) The petitioner will deposit a self-attested copy of his Aadhar Card along with his mobile number before the learned court which he will not change during the pendency of the case without prior permission of the court. (v) The petitioner shall fully co-operate with the proceedings before the learned court below. 7. The instant bail application is allowed with the aforesaid conditions. 2026:JHHC:20256 3 8. Let a copy of this order along with a copy of the affidavit filed with the bail petition be communicated to the court concerned through ‘FAX/E-mail’. (Anubha Rawat Choudhary, J.) 09.07.2026 Rakesh/- Uploaded on:-10.07.2026