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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI
Rajnish Bhatnagar, J.
Manish Kumar - Appellant
Versus
Govt. of NCT of Delhi - Respondent
Bail Appln 145 of 2022 and Crl.M.A. 890 of 2022 & Crl.M.A. 4103 of 2022
Decided On : 22-04-2022




The granting of anticipatory bail should consider cooperation in the investigation and not solely the severity of allegations, emphasizing personal liberty rights.

Headnote:(A) Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 - Section 438 - Anticipatory bail application - Petitioner sought bail in serious allegations of sexual offenses under Sections 376(2)(n)/377/328/506 IPC - FIR registered on a complaint by the prosecutrix alleging repeated sexual assault and threats by the petitioner. (Paras 1-2)

(B) Bail - Conditions for granting anticipatory bail - Court emphasized that severity of allegations alone is not a basis for denying bail, especially where there are no grounds for custodial interrogation. (Paras 6-10)

(C) The principle laid down in Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre Vs. State of Maharashtra regarding personal liberty in bail applications was applied. (Para 6)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner was accused of multiple sexual offenses against the prosecutrix over an extended period, with a significant delay in the filing of the FIR. The relationship was claimed to be consensual by the petitioner. (Paras 4-5)

Findings of Court:
Petitioner granted anticipatory bail subject to conditions to ensure cooperation with the investigation and protect the prosecutrix from intimidation. (Paras 11-12)

Issues: The issues revolved around the credibility of the prosecutrix's allegations, the timing of the FIR, and the necessity for custodial interrogation.

Ratio Decidendi: The court concluded that the petitioner’s cooperation in the investigation and absence of previous involvements justified granting bail, highlighting the importance of treating personal liberty with caution. (Paras 10, 11)

Result: The interim bail granted previously was made absolute, with specific conditions. (Para 11)

Table of Content
1. details of fir and allegations made. (Para 1 , 2)
2. court's analysis of investigation details. (Para 3 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10)
3. arguments presented by both parties. (Para 4 , 5)
4. conditions for granting anticipatory bail. (Para 11)
5. conclusion and order of the court. (Para 12 , 13)

ORDER

Rajnish Bhatnagar, J.

1. This is a petition filed by the petitioner under Section 438 Cr.P.C. seeking anticipatory bail in FIR No. 585/2021 under Sections 376(2)(n)/377/328/506 IPC registered at P.S. New Ashok Nagar.

2. In brief the facts of the case are that the instant FIR No. 585/2021 dated 18.11.2021, U/s 376(2)(n)/377/328/506 IPC was registered at P.S. New Ashok Nagar, on the basis of Zero FIR No. 0001/21 dated 07.10.21 U/s 376(2)(n)/377/328/506 IPC registered at P.S. Seelampur, Delhi, which was lodged on the complaint of the prosecutrix. The prosecutrix has alleged that she met a boy namely Manish Kumar Mishra @ Monu (Petitioner herein) S/o Lai Bahadur Mishra R/o Pure Durgadeen Tiwari, Bahorikpur, Purabgaon, P.S Gauriganj, Amethi Distt, U.P., through Facebook on 05.08.2019 and thereafter, they started talking with each other. In the first week of September 2019, Manish called her to go to Dehradun for celebrating his birthday, to which she agreed and on reaching Dehradun, they checked in to a hotel where she was provided breakfast by Manish and after consuming it, she felt uncomfortable and she laid down on bed for rest but she fell asleep. After waking up, she found herself undressed and covered in only bedcover. When she asked Manish what had happened, he said that he had engaged in sexual relations with her and he convinced her that he loves her and would marry her. After a while, he had also called her to his rented room i.e., H. No. B-44, New Ashok Nagar, Delhi, where he forcefully made sexual relations with her by blackmailing her and showing her obscene photos and videos of her with him and also, threatened her that he would send it to her family members if she refuses to have sexual relations with him. Thereafter, he also kept her with him in a rented flat at H. No. 63/64, Room No.16, U- Block, DLF Phase III, Gurgaon, from 23.10.2019 to 19.03.2020 and he used to threaten her that if she will not follow her instructions, he would kill her and her family and also, continued to sexually and physically assault her. He kept sexually assaulting her till 10.03.2021, but did not marry her. Further, he continued contacting her through phone calls and used to ask her to meet him and threatened her that he would harm her if she refused to meet him. Hence, the instant FIR was lodged on 18.11.2021.

3. I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, learned APP for the State assisted by the Ld. DHCLSC counsel for the complainant and perused the status report filed by the state.

4. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that petitioner has been falsely implicated in this case and the relationship between the petitioner and prosecutrix was consensual. It is further submitted that the petitioner and prosecutrix became friends through Facebook in the year 2019 and were in a live-in relationship for about four months and had also travelled out of town. It is further submitted that the petitioner and the prosecutrix even went to Dehradun where they stayed for about three days and the allegations against the petitioner that some stupendous substance was given by him in the food/drink to the prosecutrix when they were in Dehradun are false and frivolous. It is further submitted that photographs of petitioner and prosecutrix were clicked by the mobile phone of the prosecutrix and the said photographs were posted on Facebook by the prosecutrix herself. It is further submitted that in order to defame the petitioner she has also uploaded the entire FIR on her Facebook. It is further submitted that the said photographs of the petitioner and the prosecutrix were taken when they were on trip to Dehradun, whi

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