High Court allowed criminal revision rejecting bail rejection by Juvenile Justice Board and Sessions Judge. Found no basis under Section 12 POCSO Act to deny bail to juvenile accused aged 15 years 11 days.
Revisionist released on bail through personal bond with legal guardian and two sureties.
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Court No. - 66
Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 3913 of 2019
Revisionist :- Yashu Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And Anr. Counsel for Revisionist :- Jawahir Yadav Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Rajul Bhargava,J.
As per the office report dated 17.12.2019, C.J.M., Gautam Budh Nagar has submitted a report that notice has been served personally upon opposite party no.2, yet no one has appeared on his behalf.
This revision is directed against the order dated 17.8.2019 passed by learned Sessions Judge, Gautam Budh Nagar in Criminal Appeal No. 64 of 2019 (Yashu vs. State of U.P. and others), dismissing the said appeal arising out of order dated 3.6.2019 passed by Principal Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board, Gautam Budh Nagar (hereinafter referred to as the 'Board') in Case Crime No. 204 of 2019, under Sections 376-D I.P.C., 5-Chha/6 POCSO Act, P.S. Jevar, District- Gautam Budh Nagar rejecting the bail application of the revisionist (juvenile).
Heard Sri Jawahir Yadav, learned counsel for the revisionist as well as learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the impugned orders along with entire material on record.
Learned counsel for the revisionist has submitted that admittedly the revisionist was declared juvenile in conflict with law and his age was determined to be 15 years, 11 days. The District Probation Officer in its report dated 27.5.2019 has observed that the revisionist needs psychological counselling. Learned counsel has also argued on the merits of the case that in the statement of the prosecutrix there is no allegation of rape against the revisionist which has been specifically stated against other co-accused.
Submission of learned counsel for the revisionist is that there is no adverse opinion recorded by the District Probation Officer in its report but his bail application has been rejected by the learned Board as well as by learned Sessions Judge in Criminal Appeal without any convincing basis for giving finding that if the revisionist is released he is likely to come into association with several known and unknown criminals and expose them to moral, physical or psychological danger or his release would defeat the ends of justice. Learned counsel for the revisionist
states that it is merely ipse dixit of the courts below. It is further submitted that according to the facts on record the revisionist is below the age of majority and is juvenile in conflict with law. It was further submitted that ordinarily such accused is being released on bail unless his case falls under the exceptions that have been provided under the Act. Submission is that the reasoning given in both the impugned orders is very superficial and is not very convincing and is more in the nature of a facewash. Further submission is that the applicant is already in custody since 26.4.2019 and that aforesaid period of detention must have caused reformative effect upon the revisionistjuvenile and he should be given another chance to live a normal life on the supervision of his parents. Counsel has also tried to point out that the impugned orders have not been passed keeping the true spirit of the law that has been laid down with regard to juvenile in conflict with law.
Learned A.G.A. opposed the prayer for bail.
I have considered the submissions made by the parties' counsel and perused the impugned orders passed by the learned courts below along with entire material on record as well as the provisions of the Act.
The provisions of bail to a juvenile is given in Section 12 of the said Act.
The said provision provides that a juvenile accused has to be released on bail unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the release is likely to bring him into association with any known criminal or expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger or that his release would defeat the ends of justice. There is no any basis or material which may bring the case of the revisionist within the exceptions provided in Section 12 of the Act.
There is no such substantial material or evidence on record to show that by release on bail, the revisionist would come in association with any known criminal or his release would expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger. There is also nothing very substantial on record to show that the release of the revisionist on bail would defeat the ends of justice.
In these circumstances, the Board was not quite justified in rejecting the bail application of the revisionist. Learned Sessions Judge also does not appear to have considered the provisions of Section 12 of the Act in its proper perspective. Thus, both the impugned orders are not sustainable and are liable to be set-aside.
Accordingly, the revision stands allowed . The order dated 3.6.2019 passed by Principal Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board, Gautam Budh Nagar as well as 17.8.2019 passed by learned Sessions Judge, Gautam Budh Nagar are set-aside.
The revisionist- Yashu son of Sri Mukesh, R/o Village Thora, Police Station- Jevar, District- Gautam Budh Nagar, involved in the aforesaid case crime number be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond through his legal guardian and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Board concerned.
Order Date :- 18.12.2019 Vikas
2 issues framed by the court
Whether bail should be granted to a juvenile accused under Section 12 of the POCSO Act.
Whether there are reasonable grounds to believe the juvenile's release would expose him to moral, physical, or psychological danger or defeat the ends of justice.
1 provisions across 1 enactments
Yashu
State Of U.P.
Rajul Bhargava
As recorded by the court registry
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