The court emphasized that bail is a rule and jail is an exception, prioritizing personal liberty and the completion of investigation in granting bail.

ORDER :

(HASMUKH D. SUTHAR, J.) 

1. RULE. Learned APP waives service of rule for the respondent-State.

2. The present application is filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short “BNSS”) for regular bail in connection with FIR being C.R. No.11823017241823 of 2024 registered with Rajpipla Police Station, Narmada for the offences punishable under Sections 87, 137(2), 64(2)(i) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (for short “IPC”) / The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short “BNS”), and Section 4 of the POCSO Act and Sections 3(1)(w)(1),3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

3. Learned Advocate appearing on behalf of the applicant submits that the applicant has nothing to do with the offence and he is falsely implicated in the offence. The charge-sheet is filed and investigation is over. Nothing is required to be discovered or recovered from the presnt applicant. There is a love affair between the victim and the applicant, and the victim is ready to marry the applicant. However, as they belong to different communities, the dispute has arisen. The applicant is in jail since 25.10.2024. It is further submitted that, considering the nature of the offence, the applicant may be granted regular bail with the imposition of suitable conditions.

4. Learned APP appearing on behalf of the respondent-State has opposed grant of regular bail looking to the nature and gravity of the offence. It is submitted that the offence was committed against a 17-year-old minor girl. The applicant, despite knowing that the victim was a minor, developed a relationship with her. Therefore, so far as the issue of consent is concerned, it is not relevant because the crime involves a minor. Therefore, the present application may be dismissed.

5. While granting bail, the Court has to consider the involvement of the accused in the alleged offence, the jurisdiction to grant bail has to be exercised on the basis of the well settled principles having regard to the facts and circumstances of each case and the following factors are to be taken into consideration while considering an application for bail: (i) the nature of accusation and the severity of the punishment and the nature of the materials relied upon by the prosecution; (ii) reasonable apprehension of tampering with the witnesses and threat to the complainant or the witnesses; (iii) reasonable possibility of securing the presence of the accused at the time of trial or the likelihood of his abscondence; (iv) character behaviour and standing of the accused and the circumstances which are peculiar to the accused; (v) larger interest of the public or the State and similar other considerations are required to be considered.

6. I have heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties and perused the investigation papers. Following aspects have been considered:

(1) The applicant is in jail since 25.10.2024;

(2) Investigation is over and charge-sheet is filed;

(3) At the time of the registration of the FIR, the victim was 17 years, 4 months, and 11 days old. The applicant and the victim came into contact with each other through social media and developed a relationship;

(4) No possibility of tampering the evidence.

(5) Now, nothing is required to be discovered or recovered from the accused and there is no possibility of the trial taking place in the near future;

7. This Court has also taken into consideration the law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra vs. Central Bureau of Investigation reported in [2012]1 SCC 40 as well as in the case of Gudikanti Narasimhulu And Ors vs. Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh reported in (1978)1 SCC 240. Obviously, the conclusion of trial will take time and keeping the accused behind the bars is nothing but amounts to pre-trial conviction and therefore, considering the celebrated principle of bail jurisprudence is that “bail is a rule and jail is except