2026:JHHC:29660 1 Cr. Appeal (S.J.) No. 625 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Cr. Appeal (S.J.) No. 625 of 2026 ------ 1. Kunal Verma, age about 40 years, S/o Deepak Verma, R/o Pyada Toli, Mahabir Chowk, Upper Bazar, P.O. and P.S.-Kotwali, District-Ranchi 2. Nishita Mehta, age about 27 years, D/o Mahabir Mahto, R/o Rajrappa Niwas, Hanuman Nagar, Booti More, P.O. and P.S.-Sadar, District- Ranchi .... .... …. Appellant(s) Versus 1. The State of Jharkhand 2. Nikky Kumari, aged about 36 years, D/o Bajrang Ram, R/o Kanta Toli Harijan Basti, P.O. Kanta Toli, P.S. Kanta Toli, District-Ranchi .... .... .... Respondent(s) ------ CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR For the Appellant(s) : Mr. Nilesh Kumar, Adv. Ms. Priyanka Agrawal, Adv. Ms. Sonal Pandey, Adv. Mr. Ayush Kr. Verma, Adv. For the State : Mr. Nawin Kr. Singh, A.P.P. For the Resp. No.2 : Ms. Sonali Bhattacharjee, Adv. ------ Order No.05/Dated : 05.10.2026 1. The present appeal has been filed under Section 14-A of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 2. Heard learned counsel for the appellants, learned counsel for the State and the learned counsel 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 20.06.2026 passed by the learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-II-cum- Special Judge, SC & ST Act, Ranchi in A.B.P No.1445 of 2026 in connection with SC/ST P.S. Case No.35 of 2025, registered for the offence under Sections 126(2), 115(2), 74, 352, 351(3), 3(5) of the BNS, 2023 and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(1)(w)(i) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act whereby the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail of the appellants has been rejected. The case is presently pending in the Court of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-II-cum-Special Judge, SC & ST Act, Ranchi. 2026:JHHC:29660 2 Cr. Appeal (S.J.) No. 625 of 2026 5. From perusal of the records, it appears that it is a professional rivalry between two advocates. 6. Efforts have been made to get the matter conciliated using the service of Mr. R.S. Mazumdar, Senior Advocate, but in spite of that, the matter could not be settled out. 7. Learned counsel for the State and the learned counsel for the respondent No.2 have opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail but could not dispute the above factual matrix. 8. Considering the above facts, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the appellants. Accordingly, the appellants, named above, are directed to surrender in the trial court within four weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order, and in the event of their arrest or surrender, they shall be enlarged on anticipatory bail, on their furnishing bail bond of Rs.10,000/- (Rs. Ten Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-II-cum-Special Judge, SC & ST Act, Ranchi, in connection with SC/ST P.S. Case No.35 of 2025, on the conditions as laid down under Section 482 of the B.N.S.S., 2023. Further, the appellant(s) will submit self-attested photocopy of his /her/their Aadhaar Card(s) and also submit his/her/their mobile number(s) before the learned trial court which he/she/they will always keep active and will not change it without prior permission of the court, till conclusion of the case. 9. In the result, the present criminal appeal stands allowed and accordingly, disposed of. (Rajesh Kumar, J.) 05.10.2026 Pawan/ Uploaded on 06.10.2026