JUDGMENT :

In all these cases, common questions of fact and law have arisen and that’s why all these matters have been heard together with the consent of the parties.

2. All these matters were decided by the judgment dated 13.12.2021, whereby the entire criminal proceedings were quashed. This order dated 13.12.2021 was challenged by the State of Jharkhand before the Hon’ble Supreme court in Criminal Appeal No. 2659 of 2023 [arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 8591 of 2022] and its analogous cases and by judgment dated 01.09.2023, the Hon’ble Supreme court was pleased to set aside the said order and remanded the matter to this court to decide the case afresh. Pursuant to that the said matters were assigned by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of this court to this Bench and that is how these matters were posted before this Bench and thereafter the matters were posted on 11.10.2023, 16.10.2023 and 01.11.2023 and today these matters were fixed for final disposal with the consent of the parties.

3. Heard Mr. Jitendra S. Singh, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in all these cases, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, learned A.P.P., Mr. V.S. Sahay, learned A.P.P. and Mrs. Priya Shrestha, learned Spl.P.P. appea