2026:JHHC:24802 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Criminal Appeal (S.J) No.348 of 2026 ---- Santosh Kumar Singh @ Santosh Singh, aged about 40 years, son of Late Ramanand Singh, resident of Jobo Nischinta, P.O. & P.S. Rajmahal, District Sahibganj …. …. Appellant(s) -Versus- 1. The State of Jharkhand 2. Victim …. …. Respondent(s) ---- CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR ---- For the Appellant : Mr. Santosh Kumar Jha, Advocate For the State : Mr. Arup Kumar Dey, A.P.P For the Respondent No.2 : Mr. Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, Amicus Curiae ---- 04/Dated: 18th August, 2026 1. The present appeal has been filed under Section 14-A of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015. 2. Heard learned counsel for the appellant, learned counsel for the State and learned Amicus Curiae for the respondent No.2/victim. 3. Although Section 18 of the SC/ST (PoA) Act bars the grant of anticipatory bail, such bar would not apply in case where no prima facie offence under the Act is made out. 4. The present appeal has been filed against the order dated 17.02.2026, whereby and whereunder, the prayer for anticipatory bail of the appellant has been rejected by the learned Special Judge, (SC/ST Act), I/c, Sahibganj in A.B.P No.64 of 2026 in connection with Rajmahal P.S. Case No.06 of 2026, registered for the offences under Sections 316(2), 318(2), 351(2), 352, 74, 76, 109(1), 79, 115(2) of B.N.S. and Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case is presently pending in the Court of learned Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Sahibganj. 5. It has been submitted by the learned counsel for the appellant the entire allegation is false and frivolous. Even if it is accepted to be true, it is merely a mode of recovery for loan. Further, he has helped the alleged victim on the death of her husband being a neighbour, still this false case has been lodged. On the above basis, prayer for anticipatory bail has been made. 6. Learned counsel for the State and the learned Amicus for the respondent No.2 have opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail and submitted that the 2026:JHHC:24802 2. Criminal Appeal (S.J) No.348 of 2026 allegation not only suggests that the victim has been assaulted and humiliated rather fraud has played upon the victim. 7. Considering the nature of crime and the materials available on record and further Section 18 of the SC/ST Act itself gets attracted, the present criminal appeal stands rejected. 8. Services rendered by Mr. Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, learned Amicus Curiae, is highly appreciable. 9. The Member Secretary, Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority, Ranchi shall pay the remuneration, as admissible, to the learned Amicus, on submission of bill(s). (Rajesh Kumar, J.) Dated: 18th August, 2026 Madhav/- Uploaded on:19/08/2026