HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH
NARESH SINGH – Appellant
Versus
STATE TH. S.H.O. POLICE STATION DOMANA, JAMMU – Respondent
Bail App 89/2019
['RAJNESH OSWAL', '', 'ACHAL SHARMA', 'AMIT GUPTA AAG', '']
HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR
AT JAMMU
Bail App.89/2019
CrlM No.733/2019
Reserved on :17.09.2019
Pronounced on:20 .09.2019
Naresh Singh …… Applicant
Through:-
Mr. Achal Sharma, Advocate.
V/s
State of J&K
….Non-applicant
Through:-
Mr. Amit Gupta, AAG.
.
CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE TASHI RABSTAN, JUDGE
JUDGMENT
Tashi Rabstan-J
1.
The applicant who is in judicial custody since 01.11.2018, has moved
this application seeking grant of bail in case FIR No. 400/2018, registered by
Police Station, Domana for allegedly committing the offense punishable
under section 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act
(hereinafter to be referred as POCSO Act) and section 342 of Ranbir Penal
Code (hereinafter to be referred as RPC).
2.
The prosecution case in brief is that on 01.11.2018, the complainant
namely Bharat Bhusan Raina along with his wife lodged a written report at
P/S Domana stating therein that his daughter-presecutrix, 16 years old, is
studying in St. Xavier School Barnai and the accused Naresh Singh always
used to tease his daughter since 2016 and used abusive words to instigate her
2 Bail App 89/2019
for illicit relations. Many times, the accused used to forcibly sit with his
daughter in the Metador when she would go for tuition or school and always
misbehaved with her due to which she felt ashamed. The parents of the
accused were informed number of times about his activities and once they
made apology in writing. On 28.10.2018, when his daughter went to School
and alighted from the school van, the accused who was already there along
with his vehicle bearing registration No. JK02BQ-5672, forcibly pulled her
inside his car and molested her and also kept her inside his Car for more than
02 hours. The accused further threatened her that in case she raises cry he
will make her naked video and would upload the same on the internet. They
started search of her and when they reached near the School, accused on
seeing them pushed her outside of Car and fled away.
3.
The applicant has already filed application for grant of bail before the
learned Principal Sessions Judge, Jammu, which came to be dismissed on
29.05.2019, mainly on the ground that prima facie there are reasonable
grounds for believing that the applicant-accused has committed grave and
serious offence, which would evoke social disgust and social censure of the
act imputed. It is also observed while rejecting the bail that there is
possibility of accused tampering with the prosecution evidence and
absconding to avoid justice in the face of serious accusation of aggravated
sexual assault. Hence, the applicant is before this court praying for grant of
bail.
4. I have heard and considered the rival contentions of the learned counsel
appearing on respective sides and also perused the file.
3 Bail App 89/2019
5. Learned counsel for applicant, to cement the case set up by applicant,
has submitted that the charges stands framed in the case and trial is already
commenced. Out of total nine witnesses, prime witnesses are already
examined including statement of prosecutrix has been recorded on oath
before the court and there is no question of tempering with the evidence or
threatening the witnesses. It is also stated that applicant-accused is pursuing
his Master Degree from University of Jammu, so there is no question of
absconding or jumping out of bail. He contends that the prosectrix along