( 2026:JHHC:24200 ) IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A. B. A. No. 4479 of 2026 Sonu Sharma @ Sonu Kumar, aged about 31 years, son of Ranjeet Sharma, resident of Sikaria, P.O. Babhna, P.S. Parsbigha, District-Jehanabad, State- Bihar ...... … Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand .…. … Opposite Party -------- CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI For the Petitioner :Mr. Rohan Mazumdar, Advocate For the State : Mr. Pankaj Kumar, P.P. 02/ 13.08.2026: Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the State. 2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Tamar P.S. Case No.21 of 2026, for the alleged offences registered under Sections 111(2), 111(3), 112(2), 318(4), 49, 61(2) and 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 12(3) of Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023 pending in the Court of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-1st, Ranchi. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is not owner of Nursing Home which was under construction and allegations are made that in the said Nursing Home the students were being memorized the question papers and answers of the examination. He next submits that the petitioner is only driver of the vehicle which was parked near the Nursing Home and co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in A.B.A. No. 3537 of 2026, A.B.A. No. 3227 of 2026, A.B.A. No. 4220 of 2026 and A.B.A. No. 4370 of 2026. On these grounds, he submits that anticipatory bail may kindly be granted. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State opposed the prayer and submits that allegations are there against the petitioner and Section 23(2) of ( 2026:JHHC:24200 ) Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023 bars the anticipatory bail and in view of that the anticipatory bail may kindly be rejected. 5. Considering that the petitioner is not examinee and he has not appeared in the examination and only allegation against the petitioner is that petitioner is driver of the vehicle which was parked near the Nursing Home which was under construction and in view of that Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Control and Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023 is not attracted. The co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail in the aforesaid A.B.As and petitioner has no criminal antecedent which is disclosed in para 20 of the petition. 6. In the attending facts and circumstances of this case, I am inclined to provide anticipatory bail to the petitioner. Accordingly, the petitioner, above named, is hereby directed to surrender before the learned Court within three weeks from today, and in the event of his surrender/arrest, the petitioner, above named, shall be released on bail, on furnishing bail bond of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand), with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner- 1st at Ranchi in connection with Tamar P.S. Case No.21 of 2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Dt.13.08.2026 ( Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) satyarthi-