2026:JHHC:12902 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Criminal Appeal (S.J.) No.793 of 2025 .... 1. Arun Singh Choudhary, aged about 72 years 2. Shyam Singh Choudhary @ Shyam Pad Singh Choudhary, aged about 85 years 3. Lakhi Ram Singh Choudhary @ Lakhikant Singh, aged about 68 years 4. Khagen Singh Choudhary, aged about 65 years All are S/o Late Shrawan Singh Choudhary 5. Niwaran Singh @ Niwaran Singh Choudhary, aged about 50 years 6. Rajesh Singh Choudhary, aged about 35 years Both S/o Shyam Pad Choudhary 7. Sandeep Singh Choudhary, aged about 29 years, S/o Arun Singh Choudhary All Residents of Village-Kalikapur, P.S.-Kanak Chas, P.S.-Chandankiyari, Baramasiya O.P., District-Bokaro, Jharkhand .… Appellants Versus 1. The State of Jharkhand 2. Shishu Lal Rajwar, S/o Late Manorath Rajwar, R/o Kalikapur, P.O. & P.S.- Chandankiyari, District-Bokaro, Jharkhand .... Respondents .... CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR For the Appellants : Mrs. Vandana Singh, Adv. For the State : Mr. Rajesh Kumar, A.P.P. For the Resp. No.2 : Mr. N.K.Sahani, Adv. .... 07/01.05.2026 1. The present appeal has been filed under Section 14-A (2) of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015. 2. Heard learned counsel for the appellants and learned APP as well as learned counsel for the respondent No.2. 3. The present appeal is directed against the order dated 11.08.2025 passed by the learned Addl. Sessions Judge-I-cum-Special Judge, Bokaro in A.B.P. No.674 of 2025 in connection with Sector-IV (SC/ST) P.S. Case No.08 of 2022, registered for the offence under Sections 147/ 148/ 149/ 341/ 323/ 457/ 428/ 354/34 of IPC and Section 3(1)(x) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, whereby and whereunder the prayer of the appellants for grant of anticipatory bail have been rejected. The case is presently pending before the court of learned Addl. Sessions Judge-I-cum-Special Judge, Bokaro. 4. The appellants have approached this Court for grant of anticipatory bail although the same is barred under Section 18 of the SC/ST (PoA) Act but there is land dispute between the parties and as such the prayer made in the present appeal is maintainable. 2026:JHHC:12902 2 Criminal Appeal (S.J.) No.793 of 2025 5. It has been submitted by the learned counsel for the appellants that there is a serious land dispute and the complaint petition has been converted in F.I.R. and accordingly police has submitted the final form stating that it is a civil dispute. On protest, the cognizance has been taken. It has been further submitted that it is nothing but the misuse of provision of protective legislation to settle the land dispute. 6. Learned counsel for the State and learned counsel for the victim has opposed the prayer and submitted that the allegation makes out the case under the SC/ST Act. 7. Considering the fact that it is a serious land dispute and there is finding by the Investigating Officer to that effect, I am inclined to enlarge the appellants on anticipatory bail. Accordingly, the appellants, above named, are directed to surrender before the learned Trial Court within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt/production of copy of this order and in the event of their arrest or surrender, they shall be enlarged on bail, on their furnishing bail bonds of Rs.10,000/- ( Rupees Ten Thousand only) each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Addl. Sessions Judge-I-cum-Special Judge, Bokaro in connection with Sector-IV (SC/ST) P.S. Case No.08 of 2022 on the conditions as laid down under Section 482 of the B.N.S.S., 2023. Further, the appellants will submit self-attested photo copy of their Aadhaar Card and also submit their mobile number before the learned trial court which they will always keep active and will not change it during pendency of this case without prior permission of the Court. 8. Accordingly, instant criminal appeal is allowed and disposed of. (Rajesh Kumar, J.) 01.05.2026 Shahid/ Uploaded on 04.05.2026