The court established that when an investigation is completed and there is no likelihood of the trial concluding in the near future, continued pre-trial incarceration may be unjustified, warranting the grant of bail, regardless of the severity of the alleged offences.

O R D E R

Leave granted.

The appellants, Aditya @ Atul and Dixit Rana, are aggrieved by the denial of regular bail by the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, vide order dated 02.12.2025 passed in Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 32602/2025, in connection with Case Crime/First Information Report (FIR) No. 59/2021 dated 27.02.2021 registered with Police Station – Dhaulana, District – Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the Indian Penal Deepak Guglani Date: 2026.03.19 Reason: Crl.A. @ SLP(Crl.) No. 1650/2026 1 Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.

The appellants, Aditya @ Atul and Dixit Rana, have been in prison since 01.09.2025. We are informed that the investigation has been completed and the chargesheet has also been filed, but charges are yet to be framed.

14 listed witnesses are to be examined in terms of the chargesheet. There is, therefore, no possibility of the trial concluding any time soon in the near future. We find that the appellants have past criminal antecedents and the allegations against them in the present case are of serious nature. However, we find no grounds to continue with the incarceration of the appellants, Aditya @ Atul and Dixit Rana, at this stage, that is, after completion of the investigation, when there is no possibility of the trial concluding soon.

The appeal is, accordingly, allowed, setting aside the impugned order dated

Crl.A. @ SLP(Crl.) No. 1650/2026 2

02.12.2025 passed by the High Court. It is directed that the appellants, Aditya @ Atul and Dixit Rana, shall be released on bail in connection with the aforestated Case Crime/FIR on such stringent terms and conditions as may be fixed by the trial Court.

In addition, they shall cooperate during the course of the trial and shall not contribute to unnecessary delays.

We clarify that we have not made any observations/comments on the merits of the case and any observation made in this order is meant only for the limited purpose of grant of bail.

Pending application(s), if any, shall stand disposed of.

......................J.

(SANJAY KUMAR)

......................J.

(K. VINOD CHANDRAN)

NEW DELHI;

MARCH 19, 2026.

Crl.A. @ SLP(Crl.) No. 1650/2026 3

ITEM NO.5 COURT NO.12 SECTION II S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No. 1650/2026 [Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 02-12-2025 in CRMBA No. 32602/2025 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad]

ADITYA @ ATUL & ANR. Petitioner(s)

VERSUS STATE OF U.P. & ANR. Respondent(s)

(FOR ADMISSION)

Date : 19-03-2026 This matter was called on for hearing today.

CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. VINOD CHANDRAN For Petitioner(s) :

Mr. Tejasvi Kumar, Adv.

Mr. Viraj Srivastava, Adv.

Mr. Somnath Bhattacharya, Adv.

Mr. Ekansh Bansal, Adv.

Mr. Tushar Arora, Adv.

Mr. Yogesh Chander Bhardwaj, Adv.

Ms. Jaseen Kaur, Adv.

Mr. Ambar Qamaruddin, AOR For Respondent(s) :

Dr. Vijendra Singh, AOR Mr. Vikas Bansal, Adv.

Mr. Ajai Kumar, Adv.

Mr. Kumar Abhinandan, Adv.

Mr. Manish Kumar, Adv.

Mr. Divyadeep Chaturvedi, AOR Ms. Manisha Bhandari, Adv.

Mr. Omkar Shrivastava, Adv.

Mr. Shashwat Sidhant, Adv.

Mr. Ayush Kumar Dubey, Adv.

Ms. Ishita Dhaila, Adv.

UPON hearing the counsel, the Court made the following

O R D E R

Leave granted.

The appeal is allowed, setting aside the impugned order dated 02.12.2025 passed by the High Court. It is directed that the appellants, Aditya @ Atul and Dixit Rana, shall be released on bail in connection with Case Crime/First Information Report (FIR) No. 59/2021 dated 27.02.2021 registered with Police Station – Dhaulana, District – Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 on such stringent terms and conditions as may be fixed by the trial Court.

In addition, they shall cooperate during the course of