2026:JHHC:27025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI A.B.A. No. 5070 of 2026 ------ Upendra Kumar Singh, aged about 65 years, son of Late Jagdam Singh, resident of Village, P.O. and P.S. Manupur via Dighwara, District Saran, State Bihar .... .... …. Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand .... .... .... Opposite Party CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI For the Petitioner : Mr. Raj Nandan Chatterjee, Advocate For the State : Ms. Ruby Pandey, A.P.P. ------ 02/09.09.2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the State. 2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Patherdih P.S. Case No.13 of 2019, registered for the offence under Sections 420, 406, 409, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, pending in the Court of the learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Dhanbad. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that so far as the allegation of misappropriation of money is concerned, that allegation is there against main accused, namely, Manash Kumar Ghosh and Soma Dey. He submits that the petitioner is not involved in embezzlement of money. He next submits that co-accused Jahanbi Ghosh and Soma Dey have been granted anticipatory bail by the coordinate Bench of this court in A.B.A. No.5843 of 2019 and A.B.A. No.8120 of 2019 respectively. He further submits that the petitioner was also made accused in Patherdih P.S. Case No.14 of 2019 involving similar allegations, however, in the said case, the petitioner has not been sent up for trial and final form has been submitted in favour of the petitioner in that case and charge-sheet has been submitted in that case only against Manash Kumar Ghosh and Soma Dey. He also submits that the petitioner has appeared before the I.O. and that has come in the case diary. He then submits that the petitioner is cooperating in the investigation. He next submits that the trial against the main accused, namely, Manash Kumar Ghosh is already proceeded and it is at the fag end of conclusion. He also submits that after six years of lodging 2026:JHHC:27025 of the said case, the petitioner has received notice. He further submits that two of the co-accused persons have been granted anticipatory bail by this court in A.B.A. No.3265 of 2026 and A.B.A. No.3910 of 2026 in identical situation. On these grounds, he submits that anticipatory bail may kindly be granted to the petitioner. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the State opposes the prayer and submits that at the relevant time, the petitioner was posted as Post Master and the allegation of misappropriation of money is there against him and in view of that prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioner may kindly be rejected. 5. On perusal of the FIR, it transpires that the allegation of misappropriation of money is there against Jahanbi Ghosh and Soma Dey and they have been granted anticipatory bail by the coordinate bench of this court in the aforesaid A.B.As. So far as this petitioner is concerned, the allegations of withdrawal of money are not made against him and it has been further pointed out that the alleged allegation is of the year 2009 wherein the petitioner was posted there in May, 2017 and the FIR has been lodged in the year 2019 and it has been pointed out that the petitioner has also retired now and the petitioner is co-operating in the investigation, in the attending facts and circumstances, I am inclined to grant 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 his arrest or surrender, he 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 Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Dhanbad, in connection with Patherdih P.S. Case No. 13 of 2019, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) Dated 09.09.2026 Anit Uploaded 11.09.2026