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2022 Supreme(Chh) 132

IN THE HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
Sanjay K. Agrawal, Rajani Dubey, JJ.
Ajay Jain S/o Prakash Chand Jain- Appellant (In Jail)
Versus
State of Chhattisgarh Through Station House officer, Police Station Siksod - Respondent
Criminal Appeal No.328 of 2022
Decided On : 04-05-2022

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant :Mr. Siddharth Shukla, Advocate
For the Respondent:Mr.Sunil Otwani, Addl. Advocate General with Mr. Ashish Tiwari, Govt. Advocate

Headnote:

Indian Penal Code, 1860 - Sections 120B, 201 and 149/34 - Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 - Sections 10,13,17,38(1)(a)(2) & 40 - National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 - Section 21(4) – Criminal Procedure Code,1973 - Section 439 - Offence of Criminal Conspiracy – Unlawful Assembly – Common intention – Charged - Respondent searched a vehicle bearing registration No. driven by Tapas Kumar Palit - In that search, 95 pairs of shoes, green black printed cloths for uniform, 2 bundles of electric wires each of 100 meter, LED lens, walki talki and other articles were found in his possession (Tapas Kumar Palit) - Seizure was made accordingly - It is further case of prosecution that these articles were to be supplied by Tapas Kumar Palit to naxalites in order to support their illegal and disruptive activities - It is further case of prosecution that said Tapas Kumar Palit was working with Rudransh Earth Movers Road Construction Company, a partnership firm of appellant-Ajay Jain and one - It is further case of prosecution that provided information that articles were being provided on instructions/consent of Ajay Jain and, who were given consent/permission to do so by Varun Jain, Director of M/s Landmark Royal Engineering (India) Private Limited - Whether a prima facie case is made out against the accused or not – Held, Considering fact that two co-accused personswho are Directors of M/s Landmark Royal Engineering (India) Private Limited being principal employer of appellant and appellant is said to be subcontractor of them, have been enlarged on bail (interim) by their Lordships of Supreme Court in SLP (Crl.) Nos and appellant is in custody since for more than two years and trial is likely to take time and also considering nature of evidence available on record with regard to meeting of appellant with terrorist/banned organization and no objectionable material/cash was recovered from possession of appellant, Court are of considered opinion that learned Special Judge (NIA) is absolutely unjustified in rejecting application for grant of bail - In view of abovestated discussion, reliance placed by learned counsels for respondent in the matters of Hitesh Agrawal v. State of Chhattisgarh (CRA No.463/2021) and Varun Jain v. State of Chhattisgarh, decided by this Court on, are not helpful to the respondent as against aforesaid orders, SLP (Crl.) Nos. have been entertained by the Supreme Court and Hitesh Agrawal and Varun Jain have been enlarged on interim bail - Accordingly, impugned order is setaside and application filed by appellant under Section 439 of the CrPC is allowed.

JUDGMENT :

Sanjay K. Agrawal, J.

1. This criminal appeal under Section 21(4) of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 is directed against the order dated 14.1.2022 passed by the Special Judge (NIA Act), Kanker, District-Uttar Bastar Kanker in Bail Application No.17/2022 by which the appellant's application under Section 439 of the CrPC seeking bail for offences under Sections 10,13,17,38(1)(a)(2) & 40 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (hereinafter called as 'UAPA'), Section 8(2)(3)(5) of the Chhattisgarh Vishesh Jan Surksha Adhiniyam, 2005 (hereinafter called as 'Act of 2005') and Sections 120B, 201 and 149/34 of the IPC has been rejected finding no merit.

2. As per case of the prosecution, on 24.3.2020 on the basis of secret information, the respondent searched a vehicle bearing registration No.CG 07 AH 6555 driven by Tapas Kumar Palit. In that search, 95 pairs of shoes, green black printed cloths for uniform, 2 bundles of electric wires each of 100 meter, LED lens, walki talki and other articles were found in his possession (Tapas Kumar Palit). Seizure was made accordingly. It is further case of the prosecution that these articles were to be supplied by Tapas Kumar Palit to naxalites in order to support their illegal and disruptive activities. It is further case of the prosecution that said Tapas Kumar Palit was working with Rudransh Earth Movers Road Construction Company, a partnership firm of appellant-Ajay Jain and one Komal Verma. It is further case of the prosecution that Tapas Kumar Palit provided information that articles were being provided on the instructions/consent of Ajay Jain and Komal Verma, who were given consent/permission to do so by Varun Jain, Director of M/s Landmark Royal Engineering (India) Private Limited. It is also the case of the prosecution that the accused were providing funds as well to naxalites though no cash was recovered on the said date, but the police arrested all of them including the appellant on 23.4.2020. It is also case of the prosecution that the present appellant and Komal Verma were working as subcontractor for road construction of PMGSY Road work originally given to M/s Landmark Royal Engineering Private Limited, FIR No.9/2020 was registered and they were chargesheeted for the aforesaid offences on 8.9.2020 and thereafter charges have been framed on 5.8.2021 and out of 100 listed witnesses, only 13 witnesses have been examined and seizure witness namely Mantesh Dhruw and Rajesh Sahu have also been examined. The appellant herein has filed an application under Section 439 of the CrPC for grant of bail before the Special Court under NIA Act, which has been rejected by the impugned order finding that the appellant and one co-accused Arun Jain provided Rs.2,50,000/- to naxalites for their alleged illegal activities and thereby rejected the same, against which, this criminal appeal has been filed.

3. Mr.Siddharth Shukla, learned counsel appearing for the appellant, would submit that the alleged offence registered against the appellant under Sections 10 and 13 of the UAPA falls in Part III of the UAPA, thus, the Bar of granting bail under Section 43(D) 5 of the UAPA would not be applicable. He would further submit that Section 17 deals with punishment for raising funds for the terrorist Act and Section 22A & 22C fixes the responsibility of any offence committed under the said Act. Thus, the said sections does not constitute any separate offence. He would also submit that Section 38(1)(2) deals with offence for being a member of the terrorist organization and Section 40 of the UAPA deals with offence for raising funds for a terrorist organization. He would also submit that charge under Section 8(2)(3)(5) of the Act of 2005 deals with membership, management of a banned organization, which is not even supported by the chargesheet, which categorically says that the appellant was providing money and articles in lieu of smooth functioning of the road construction contracts. In a

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