SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2023 Supreme(P&H) 2464

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
ANOOP CHITKARA, J.
Manjinder Singh – Petitioner
Versus
State of Punjab – Respondent
CRM-M NO. 23144 of 2023
Decided On : 12-05-2023

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner:Mr. L.S. Sekhon, Advocate
Ms. Navreet K. Barnala, AAG, Punjab.

Headnote:(A) Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 - Section 439 - Bail - Grant of bail to accused in non-bailable offence seeking pre-trial release - The accused, with no previous criminal records, argued that pre-trial incarceration would cause irreversible injustice to him and his family. Court cites the principles from various Supreme Court rulings emphasizing that the grant of bail is a matter of judicial discretion, subject to conditions that safeguard the victim and minimize risks of influencing the investigation. Given the nature of allegations, court decides in favor of bail with specific conditions imposed on the petitioner to maintain order and prevent witness intimidation. (Paras 4, 7, 10, 11, 16)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner was arrested in connection with FIR No. dated 06.02.2023, accused of assault with a weapon and is in custody since 16.02.2023.

Findings of Court:
The court granted bail subject to the petitioner fulfilling the conditions outlined in the bail order.

Issues: The central question was whether the pre-trial incarceration was warranted given the circumstances.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that bail, not jail, is the standard rule unless countered by compelling circumstances; the discretion to grant bail should be judicious and compassionate to avoid disrupting fair trial.

Result: Petition allowed in aforesaid terms.

Table of Content
1. factual background of bail application. (Para 1 , 2)
2. arguments for and against bail. (Para 3 , 4)
3. nature of allegations and custody. (Para 5 , 6)
4. precedents on bail and its conditions. (Para 7 , 8)
5. conditions for granting bail. (Para 9 , 10 , 11)
6. restrictions and obligations for the accused. (Para 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17)
7. rights of the accused and operational details. (Para 18 , 19 , 20)
8. notification and compliance. (Para 21 , 22 , 23 , 24)
9. final order and disposals. (Para 25)

JUDGMENT

Mr. Anoop Chitkara, J.

FIR No.

Dated

Police Station

Sections

20

06.02.2023

City-I, Mansa, District Mansa

308, 323, 341, 506, 148, 149 IPC

The Petitioner, incarcerating upon his arrest in the FIR captioned above, came up before this Court under Section 439 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) seeking bail.

2. In paragraph 13 of the bail petition, the accused declares that he has no criminal antecedents.

3. Petitioner's contention is that the pre-trial incarceration would cause an irreversible injustice to the Petitioner and family.

4. State opposes the bail.

Reasoning:

5. The allegations are that Petitioner armed with kripan along with other co-accused gave a blow on the head of the victim.

6. As per paragraph 6 of the bail petition, the Petitioner is in custody since 16.02.2023. Given the nature of allegations, and injuries infiicted by the Petitioner, viz-a-viz pre-trial custody, coupled with the other factors peculiar to this case, there would be no justifiability for further pre-trial incarceration at this stage, subject to the compliance of terms and conditions mentioned in this order. Furthermore, the Petitioner is a first offender, and one of the relevant factors would be to provide an opportunity to course-correct.

7. In Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia v. State of Punjab , 1980 (2) SCC 565 , (Para 30), a Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court held that the bail decision must enter the cumulative effect of the variety of circumstances justifying the grant or refusal of bail. In Kalyan Chandra Sarkar v. Rajesh Ranjan @ Pappu Yadav , 2005 (2) SCC 42 , (Para 18) a three-member Bench of Supreme Court held that the persons accused of non-bailable offences are entitled to bail if the Court concerned concludes that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case against him, or despite the existence of a prima facie case, the Court records reasons for its satisfaction for the need to release such person on bail, in the given fact situations. The rejection of bail does not preclude filing a subsequent application. The courts can release on bail, provided the circumstances then prevailing requires, and a change in the fact situation. In State of Rajasthan v. Balchand , AIR 1977 SC 2447 , (Para 2 & 3), Supreme Court noticeably illustrated that the basic rule might perhaps be tersely put as bail, not jail, except where there are circumstances suggestive of fieeing from justice or thwarting the course of justice or creating other troubles in the shape of repeating offences or intimidating witnesses and the like by the Petitioner who seeks enlargement on bail from the Court. It is true that the gravity of the offence involved is likely to induce the Petitioner to avoid the course of justice and must weigh when considering the question of jail. So also, the heinousness of the crime. In Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor , (1978) 1 SCC 240 , (Para 16), Supreme Court held that the delicate light of the law favors release unless countered by the negative criteria necessitating that course. In Prahlad Singh Bhati v. NCT, Delhi , (2001) 4 SCC 280 , Supreme Court highlighted one of the factors for bail to be the public or the State's immense interest and similar other considerations. In Dataram Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh , (2018) 3 SCC 22 , (Para 6), Supreme Court held that th

                    Click Here to Read the rest of this document
                    1
                    2
                    3
                    4
                    5
                    6
                    7
                    8
                    9
                    10
                    11
                    SupremeToday Portrait Ad
                    supreme today icon
                    logo-black

                    An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

                    Please visit our Training & Support
                    Center or Contact Us for assistance

                    qr

                    Scan Me!

                    India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

                    For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

                    whatsapp-icon Back to top