2026:JHHC:8078 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No. 2319 of 2026 Pankaj Ray @ Pankaj Kumar Ray, aged about 26 years, son of Shankar Ray, resident of village Mehabank, P.O. Purri, P.S. Bengabad, District Giridih … … Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand … … Opp. Party --- CORAM: HON’BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANUBHA RAWAT CHOUDHARY --- For the Petitioner : Mr. Pankaj Verma, Advocate For the Opp. Party : Ms. Amrita Kumari, Advocate --- 03/23rd March 2026 1. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody in connection with Bengabad P.S. Case No. 165/2025 corresponding to POCSO Case o. 168/2025 for the offence registered under Section 96 of the BNS and Section 8/12 of the POCSO Act, now said to have been pending in the court of learned Special Judge, POCSO Act, Giridih. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has been falsely implicated in this case and in fact the victim had made a statement under Section 183 of BNSS that she was 15 years of age and the accused had taken her away from the house under allurement of marriage and had also established physical relationship. 3. Learned counsel for the opposite party has opposed the prayer and submitted that there is direct allegation against the petitioner. 4. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties and considering the direct allegation against the petitioner and the fact that the victim being a minor, this Court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioner on bail. Hence, this bail application is rejected. 5. Let a copy of this order be communicated to the court concerned through ‘e-mail/FAX’. (Anubha Rawat Choudhary, J.) Dated: 23.03.2026 Uploaded On: 25.03.2026 Mukul/-