IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
Before
The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain
CWP No.2239 of 2015
Sumeet Bajwa
v.
State of Punjab & Ors.
{Decided on 12/01/2016}
Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1962, S.3--Right to Life--An under trial prisoner has a right to marry--Held; an under trial prisoner, being presumed to be innocent, has a right to marry with someone who is not an under-trial like him/her and/or a person can marry an under-trial prisoner, if he/she desires--Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, S.5--Constitution of India, 1950, Article 21.
Marriage can only be performed outside the jail as the jails cannot be converted into marriage palaces and in the instant case, since the application of respondent No.3, especially filed for regular bail, has been specifically declined by this Court on 09.09.2013 in which the respondent No.3 had prayed for his release only for the purpose of his marriage, therefore, the said order, until and unless reversed by higher Court, cannot be reviewed by a Coordinate Bench. (Paras 26 & 29)
Mr. Rakesh Kumar Jain, J.: - The petitioner, only child of her parents, born on 08.09.1983, M.Sc. in Zoology, now pursuing her Ph.D. in Physiology from Punjabi University, Patiala, was engaged to Sanbir (respondent No.3), LL.B. From Panjab University, Chandigarh on 09.03.2011. Unfortunately, with the demise of her father on 08.07.2011, their marriage was postponed to be performed after the first Barsi of her father. The date of their marriage was ultimately fixed as 13.09.2013 but before that, respondent No.3 was arrested in a case registered vide FIR No.34 dated 27.02.2013 at Police Station Mataur, under Sections 302, 307, 427, 506, 148 and 149 IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54, 59 of the Arms Act and is at present lodged in the New District Jail, Nabha w.e.f. 21.05.2013, having been transferred from Maximum Security Jail, Nabha, as per the orders of the Additional Director General of Police (Jails), Punjab, Chandigarh and is also facing trial in case registered vide FIR No.392 dated 31.08.2013, under Section 52-A of the Prison Act, 1894, at Police Station Tripuri, District Patiala, in which though he is on bail but has never been released on bail in the case registered vide FIR No.34 dated 27.02.2013 and is in custody from the last 2- ½ years. An application bearing CRM-M-25274-2013 was filed by respondent No.3 under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the “Cr.P.C.”) alleging that since his marriage has been fixed on 13.09.2013, therefore, he may be released to perform his marriage with the petitioner. On the said application, an enquiry was conducted about the factum of the marriage but still, keeping in view the seriousness of the crime, the application for bail was declined. The order passed by this Court in CRM-M-25274-2013 is reproduced as under:-
“The date in the main case is preponed from 19.9.2013 to 9.9.2013 i.e. today.
By filing the present petition under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the petitioners have sought regular bail in case FIR No.34, dated 27.2.2013, registered under Sections 302, 307, 427, 506, 148, 149 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Police Station Mator, District SAS Nagar.
Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that marriage of petitioner No.1 is scheduled to be held on 13.9.2013. In support of his case, he has placed on record the wedding card. He further submits that the petitioners were neither arrested from the spot nor any over act has been attributed to the petitioners. He further submits that the petitioners are in custody since March, 2013.
On the other hand, the learned State counsel opposes the prayer of the petitioners. He submits that after his arrest, petitioner, Sanbir Singh has committed jail offence and in this regard FIR No.392 dated 31.8.2013 has been registered against him.
Heard.
It is a case of murder. The petitioners have been specifically named in the FIR. In pursuance of the order dated 26.8.2013, passed by this Court, an inquiry with regard to the factum of marriage was carried out by ASI Jagir Singh. Report dated 31.8.2013, (Annexure R-1) furnished by the SHO, Police Station Mator, is attached with the reply filed by the State. In the report, it is mentioned that as per the booking register of Khazana Resorts and further as per the statement of Suersh Kumar Rada, General Manager of the Resort, the booking was done about 15 days prior to 29.8.2013, indicating the booking date as 24.1.2013. It is further mentioned in the report that during interrogation after his arrest, petitioner No.1, did not disclose about the scheduled marriage. The charges are yet to be framed. From the facts on record, it appears that the petitioners under the garb of solemnization of the marriage want to flee from the country. The petitioners have also committed jail offence, and in this regard an FIR has been lodged.
Keeping in view the totality of the facts, this court is of the considered view that
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