( 2026:JHHC:3518 ) -1- A.B.A. No. 703 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 703 of 2026 Shakuntala Devi, aged about 40 years, wife of Nawod Panjiyara, resident of Village and P.O. Mal Rampur, P.S. Pathargama, District- Godda, Jharkhand … Petitioner -Versus- The State of Jharkhand … Opposite Party ----- CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI ----- For the Petitioner : Mr. Manoj Kumar Sah, Advocate For the State : Mr. Rakesh Ranjan, A.P.P. ----- 04/10.02.2026 Heard learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and learned counsel appearing for the State. 2. The petitioner is apprehending her arrest in connection with Pathargama P.S. Case No.58/2025, registered for the offence under Sections 126(2), 115(2), 109, 303(2), 329(4), 352, 351(2), 351(3), 3(5) of the BNS, 2023 and Section 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Daain (Witch) Craft Practices Act, 2001, pending in the Court of the learned C.J.M., Godda. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is the aunt of the informant. He further submits that the altercation took place due to rent of mobile tower installed on particular plot. He next submits that in the investigation, so far as the allegation with regard to Prevention of Daain (Witch) Craft Practices Act, 2001 is concerned, that has not been found true. He also submits that three sons of the petitioner have already been granted anticipatory bail in A.B.A. No.492 of 2026. He then submits that the petitioner is having no criminal antecedent, as disclosed in paragraph 14 of this application. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State opposed the prayer and submits that the ingredients of Section 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Daain ( 2026:JHHC:3518 ) -2- A.B.A. No. 703 of 2026 (Witch) Craft Practices Act, 2001 are there against the petitioner. 5. Considering that the said allegation has not been found true by the police in the investigation as pointed out by the learned counsel for the petitioner and in identical situation, three sons of the petitioner have been granted anticipatory bail in the aforesaid A.B.A. and the petitioner is a lady and she has got no criminal antecedent, as disclosed in paragraph 14 of this application 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 her arrest or surrender, she 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 C.J.M., Godda in connection with Pathargama P.S. Case No.58/2025, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) Dated: 10th February, 2026 Ajay/