ORDER :

1. The instant appeal filed under Section 21 (4) of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, is directed against the order dated 29.04.2024 passed by the learned A.J.C-XVIII-cum-Spl. Judge, ATS, Ranchi by which the prayer for regular bail of the appellant in Miscellaneous Criminal Appeal No. 1298 of 2024 arising out of Ranchi ATS P.S. Case No. 05 of 2023 corresponding to Ranchi ATS, Ranchi and ATS Case No. 03 of 2023 registered under Sections25(1AA), 25(6), 25(7), 26/35 of the ARMS ACT has been rejected.

2. It has further been contended that although the prayer for regular bail of the appellant was rejected on earlier occasion as it is evident from the order dated 6^th February 2024 passed in Criminal Appeal (D.B) No. 1824 of 2023 but subsequent thereto out of nine (09) witnesses only two (02) witnesses have been examined while the appellant is in judicial custody for the last 19 months.

3. The submission has been made that the identically placed co-accused persons, namely, Tinku Singh whose bail has also been rejected earlier by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court, however, considering the period of custody of 16 months, the co-accused person namely Tinku Singh has been di