IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT JAMMU
R.P. Sethi, J.
State - Appellant
Versus
Sat Paul & Ors. - Respondent
Cr. M.P. No. 60/1988
Decided On : 02 December, 1988
BAIL - ANTICIPATORY BAIL - SECTION 497-A CR.P.C. - CANCELLATION OF BAIL - COURT'S JURISDICTION - REVISIONAL POWERS - SECTION 439 CR.P.C. - SCOPE AND EXTENT - CONSIDERATIONS FOR GRANTING ANTICIPATORY BAIL - SERIOUSNESS OF ACCUSATIONS, EVIDENCE, PUNISHMENT, CHARACTER OF ACCUSED, LIKELIHOOD OF ABSENCE, WITNESS TAMPERING, PUBLIC INTEREST, POLITICAL RIVALRY, ETC. - COURT'S DUTY TO APPLY MIND AND CONSIDER ALL RELEVANT FACTORS - GRANT OF BAIL IN HURRY AND WITHOUT APPLICATION OF MIND - CANCELLATION OF BAIL.
Fact of the Case:
Respondents were granted anticipatory bail in a case involving serious offences under sections 307/34 and 341 RPC. The State sought cancellation of bail on grounds of tampering with prosecution evidence and threats to witnesses.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the trial court had granted anticipatory bail without properly considering the seriousness of the accusations, the nature of the evidence, the condition of the injured victim, and the possibility of witness tampering.
Issues: 1. Whether the court had jurisdiction to revise the order granting anticipatory bail. 2. Whether the trial court had erred in granting anticipatory bail without considering relevant factors.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that it had jurisdiction to revise the order granting anticipatory bail under section 439 Cr.P.C., as the order was not an interlocutory order but a final order affecting the rights of the accused. 2. The court held that the trial court had erred in granting anticipatory bail without considering relevant factors such as the seriousness of the accusations, the nature of the evidence, the condition of the injured victim, and the possibility of witness tampering.
Final Decision: The court set aside the orders of the trial court granting anticipatory bail to the respondents and directed them to surrender before the trial court for appropriate orders on bail.
2. During the course of the arguments and inspection of the original order passed in the bail matter which was subsequently made absolute. This court prima facie found that the court below had not exercised the jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of law and therefore issued notices to the respondents to show cause as to why the order granting them bail be not set aside in exercise of the revisional jurisdiction conferred upon this court. In response to this notice the respondents appeared through their counsel and besides adopting the objections already filed have made submissions to justify the order of bail granted in their favour.
I have heard the learned counsel for the parties, have perused the record and written arguments submitted on behalf of the respondents.
3. The record of the court below shows that an application under section 497-A Cr. P.C. for grant of anticipatory bail was moved before the Ilnd. Addl. Sessions Judge on 4th Jan. 1988 and a copy of the application was handed over to the A.P.P. for report of the police to be produced by 3 P.M. The case was again taken up at 3. P.M. when petitioner s friend Kaka and one Fazal Ahmed constable are alleged to have come back in the court and reported that some official of Police Post Sarwal had written the report about the occurrence but the Dy. S. P. City declined to send the report saying that the same would be sent later on. A.P.P. sought time to file objections but the learned court below directed the respondents to be released on interim bail to the tune of Rs. 10,000/- with sureties and appear before the Investigating Officer at 5 P.M. with direction that the case be put up for further proceedings next day. On 5-1-1988 the A.P.P. produced the police report wherein it was mentioned that the respondent/accused did not present themselves before the investigating agency as directed by the court. The accused are alleged to have produced some receipts that they remained with the Investigating Officer till 9 P.M. The A.P.P. was thereafter directed to produce the case diaries and the bail was extended till 7.1.1988. As the Investigating Officer allegedly did not appear in the court on the date fixed, the court below made the bail absolute vide its order dated 7.1.1988.
4. From the record of the court below it appears that a detailed report about the occurrence had been submitted by the Police wherein it was specifically mentioned that the injured Kuldip Kumar Zutshi had received a head injury whose condition was serious and was referred to All India Institute of Medical Sciences. It was further mentioned that the accused were prima facie guilty of the offences punishable under section 307/34 and 341 R.P.C. The learned court below without examining the report which was attached with his file passed the orders directing the release of the respondents in anticipation of their arrest.
5. Mr. T. S. Thakur the learned counsel appearing for the respondents have submitted that this court could not exercise its revisional powers as according to him the order of granting the bail was an interlocutory order which could not be revised in view of
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