IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA Cr. MP(M) No. 3002 of 2025 Reserved on: 16.01.2026 Date of Decision: 23.01.2026.

Aman Rana ….Petitioner Versus State of H.P. ...Respondent Coram Hon’ble Mr Justice Rakesh Kainthla, Vacation Judge.

Whether approved for reporting?¹ No.

For the Petitioner(s) : Mr Kapil Sharma, Advocate.

For the Respondent/State: Mr Prashant Sen, Deputy Advocate General.

Rakesh Kainthla, Vacation Judge The petitioner has filed the present petition seeking regular bail in FIR No. 40 of 2025, dated 16.4.2025, registered at Police Station, Gagret, District Una, H.P. for the commission of offences punishable under Sections 126(2), 308(4), 324(5), 351(2), 352, 62, 111(2)(B) read with Section 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS).

1 Whether reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes.

2. It has been asserted that, as per the prosecution, Kanwar Sandeep Singh, Proprietor of Thakur Stone Crusher, Guglehar, filed a complaint asserting that Amrish Rana, Amit Mankotia and two other persons came to the spot on 15.4.2025 at about 10.00 PM in their vehicles bearing Registration No. HP-67- 9251 and HP-72D-0695. They stopped JCB Driver Shiv Kumar and Tipper Driver Sanjay Rana, who were loading goods on the bank of the river Swan. They threatened the JCB Driver and the tipper driver to take away their vehicles from the spot. Amrish Rana had a darat in his hand, and he threatened to kill the drivers with it. The drivers took their vehicles away from the spot. Amrish Rana and his companions put some substance in the engines of the vehicle and deflated their tyres. Driver Shiv Kumar and Sanjay Rana narrated the incident to informant Sandeep Singh, who reported the matter to the police. The police registered the FIR and investigated the matter. The petitioner is innocent, and he was falsely implicated. The police have filed the charge sheet before the Court, and no fruitful purpose would be served by detaining the petitioner in custody. The petitioner would abide by the terms and conditions that the Court may impose. Hence, it was prayed that the present petition be allowed and the petitioner be released on bail.

3. The petition is opposed by filing a status report asserting that the informant, Kanwar Sandeep Singh, made a complaint to the police stating that he had established Thakur Store Crusher Guglehar about 03 years before the incident. He had employed the drivers to drive the vehicles and the JCB. Amrish Rana visited the Swan River on 12.04.2025 with his friends and threatened the drivers. He again visited the spot on 15.04.2025 at 10:00 pm with Amit Mankotia in the vehicles bearing registration Nos. HP67-9251 and HP72D-0695. They threatened Shiv Kumar, the driver of the JCB and Sanjay Rana, the driver of the tipper. Amrish Rana had a “darat”, and he threatened to kill the drivers on failure to accompany him. The drivers drove the vehicles to the Swan River. Amrish Rana and his friends put something into the engine and deflated the tyres of the tipper. Amrish Rana had already threatened the informant and Rohit Kumar to face dire consequences on failure to pay money to him. Police registered the FIR and investigated the matter. It was found after the investigation that the accused had threatened the informant Kanwar Sandeep Singh and Rohit Kumar, owner of Sai Stone Crusher, for ransom. Hence, the offence punishable under Section 111(2) of the BNS was added. Amrish Rana and Amit Mankotia produced the vehicles bearing registration No. HP-72D-0695 and HP-67-9251, along with documents and the keys, which were seized by the police. Amrish Rana did not produce his mobile phone or darat, which was used during the incident. Amit Mankotia produced his mobile phone, which was analyzed and it was found that it was used for calling someone virtually. The petitioner was acquitted in FIR No. 185/2014, 216/15, and 220/15, and FIR No.37/25 is still pending against him. The informant stated during the investigat