IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
RAHUL CHATURVEDI, J
Pradeep Kumar – Appellant
Versus
State of U.P. and Another – Respondents
Criminal Appeal No.3943 of 2021
Decided on : 22-02-2022
S.C./S.T. Act - Bail Application - The court allowed the appeal and set aside the impugned order, granting bail to the appellant under the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Fact of the Case:
The appellant filed a criminal appeal seeking to set aside the order passed by the Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Firozabad, in a bail application related to a case involving charges under Sections 376, 506 I.P.C. and Section 3(2)5 of SC/ST Act.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the appellant had made out a case for bail based on the nature of the offence, evidence, and the submissions of the parties. The court imposed specific conditions for the appellant's release on bail, emphasizing the need for cooperation in the trial and warning against any misuse of the liberty granted.
Issues: The issues involved the appellant's eligibility for bail in a case involving serious charges under the SC/ST Act and the IPC, as well as the credibility of the allegations and the need for specific conditions to ensure the appellant's cooperation and prevent misuse of bail.
Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was influenced by the nature of the offence, evidence, and the submissions of the parties, leading to the conclusion that the appellant had made out a case for bail. The specific conditions imposed aimed to ensure the appellant's cooperation in the trial and prevent any misuse of the liberty granted.
Final Decision: The appeal succeeded, and the impugned order granting bail to the appellant was set aside.
JUDGMENT :
1. Counter affidavit filed by learned A.G.A. today in the Court is taken on record.
2. A perusal of the office report dated 02.11.2021 shows that notices were served personally upon the opposite party no.2.
3. Learned A.G.A. has filed counter affidavit which is on record. Learned counsel for the appellant does not want to file any rejoinder affidavit and wants to argue the case on merit.
4. This criminal appeal under Section 14 A (2) of Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (in short "S.C./S.T. Act") has been filed for setting-aside the impugned order dated 03.09.2021 passed by learned Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Firozabad in Bail Application No.2747 of 2021 in Case Crime no.271 of 2021, under Sections 376, 506 I.P.C. and Section 3(2)5 of SC/ST Act, Police Station-Narkhi, District-Firozabad.
5. Submission made by learned counsel for the appellant is that on account of previous animosity between the appellant and the informant of the present case, this FIR came into existence on 31.07.2021 in which the informant has involved his own mother aged about 65 years in this nefarious allegation of rape upon her by the appellant. From the medical, it is clear that age of the mother is 65 years as mentioned in the FIR. The age of the appellant is 45 years who is married man. The next contention is that the appellant has extended loan amount of Rs.45,000/-to the informant of this case and demanding the amount. Instead of returning back the money, he has fastened this abhorring and nefarious allegations against the appellant. The applicant is languishing in jail since 03.08.2021. The medical report of the victim totally belies the allegations of sexual assault upon her by the appellant.
6. Learned A.G.A. has refuted the submission made by learned counsel for the appellant but could not dispute the aforesaid facts.
7. The submission made by learned counsel for the appellant, prima facie, is quite appealing and convincing for the purpose of bail only.
8. Keeping in view the nature of the offence, evidence, complicity of the accused, submissions of the learned counsel for the parties, taking into account the manner and mode of the offence and taking into account the generality of allegation, I am of the view that the appellant has made out a case for bail.
9. Let the appellant-Pradeep Kumar, be released on bail in the aforesaid case crime number on his furnishing a personal bond and two reliable sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions which are being imposed in the interest of justice:-
(ii) THE APPELLANT SHALL FILE AN UNDERTAKING TO THE EFFECT THAT HE SHALL NOT SEEK ANY ADJOURNMENT ON THE DATE FIXED FOR EVIDENCE WHEN THE WITNESSES ARE PRESENT IN COURT. IN CASE OF DEFAULT OF THIS CONDITION, IT SHALL BE OPEN FOR THE TRIAL COURT TO TREAT IT AS ABUSE OF LIBERTY OF BAIL AND PASS ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW.
(iii) THE APPELLANT SHALL REMAIN PRESENT BEFORE THE TRIAL COURT ON EACH DATE FIXED, EITHER PERSONALLY OR THROUGH HIS COUNSEL. IN CASE OF HIS ABSENCE, WITHOUT SUFFICIENT CAUSE, THE TRIAL COURT MAY PROCEED AGAINST HIM UNDER SECTION 229-A IPC.
(iv) IN CASE, THE APPELLANT MISUSE THE LIBERTY OF BAIL DURING TRIAL AND IN ORDER TO SECURE HIS PRESENCE PROCLAMATION UNDER SECTION 82 CR.P.C., MAY BE ISSUED AND IF APPELLANT FAILS TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COURT ON THE DATE FIXED IN SUCH PROCLAMATION, THEN, THE TRIAL COURT SHALL INITIATE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST HIM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW, UNDER SECTION 174-A IPC.
(v) THE APPELLANT SHALL REMAIN PRESENT, IN PERSON, BEFORE THE TRIAL COURT ON DATES FIXED FOR (1) OPENING OF THE CASE, (2) FRAMING OF CHARGE AND (3) RECORDING OF STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 313 CR.P.C. IF IN THE OPINION OF THE TRIAL COURT ABSENCE OF
The court's decision emphasized the need to consider the nature of the offence, evidence, and submissions of the parties in determining the eligibility for bail, and the imposition of specific condit....
The central legal point established in the judgment is that the lack of corroboration in the medical report, absence of evidence regarding the alleged video clip, and the appellant's detention period....
The court established that bail should be granted when the evidence is insufficient to support the charges, especially in cases involving serious allegations.
The court established that significant delays in filing FIRs, especially when unexplained, can undermine the validity of allegations under the SC ST Act, allowing for the possibility of anticipatory ....
The main legal point established in the judgment is the importance of a thorough investigation, consideration of the accused's criminal antecedents, and the applicability of bail in heinous crimes.
The court established that the credibility of allegations in sexual offense cases must be thoroughly examined, particularly in light of the victim's age and the context of the relationship, to determ....
Bail is the rule, not the exception; presumption of innocence prevails unless serious allegations and prima facie evidence suggest otherwise, warranting detention.
Granting bail based on length of custody, filing of charge sheet, and absence of criminal antecedents without expressing opinion on the merits of the case.
The court established that the admissibility of evidence, particularly confessions and statements of co-accused, is crucial in determining the validity of charges and the appropriateness of bail.
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