This revision allowed the bail application of a juvenile accused. The High Court set aside orders rejecting bail, finding no sufficient material to show release would expose the child to danger or defeat justice.
Impugned orders rejecting bail set aside; revisionist (Juvenile) released on bail through personal bond with brother and two sureties.
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Court No. - 85
Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 281 of 2021
Revisionist :- Shahnawaz (Minor) Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And Another Counsel for Revisionist :- Rakesh Kumar Mishra Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Gautam Chowdhary,J.
This revision under section 102 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Act') is directed against the order dated 8.12.2020 passed by learned Special Judge (POCSO Act), Court No. 2/Addl. Sessions Judge, Moradabad in Criminal Appeal No. 39 of 2020 (Shahnawaz Vs.State of U.P.) dismissing the said appeal arising out of order dated 9.11.2020 passed by Juvenile Justice Board, Moradabad (hereinafter referred to as the 'Board') in Case Crime No.256 of 2020, under Sections 363, 366, 376 IPC and Section 3/4 POCSO Act, PS- Mundhapandey, District- Moradabad rejecting the bail application of the revisionist (juvenile).
Heard learned counsel for the revisionist, learned AGA for the State and perused the impugned orders along with entire material on record which appears to be complete and enough sufficient to decide this revision.
Learned counsel for the revisionist has contended that the revisionist is innocent and has been falsely implicated. It is further contended that the revisionist has been declared juvenile 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 giving finding that if the revisionist is released he is likely to bring him into association with several known criminals and expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger, hence his release would defeat the ends of justice.
Learned AGA 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, which provides as follows:-
" 12. (1) When any person, who is apparently a child and is alleged to have committed a bailable or non-bailable offence, is apprehended or detained by the police or appears or brought before a Board, such person shall, notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 or in any other law for the time being in force, be released on bail with or without surety or placed under the supervision of a probation officer or under the care of any fit person:
Provided that such person shall not be so released if there appears reasonable grounds for believing that the release is likely to bring that person into association with any known criminal or expose the said person to moral, physical or psychological danger or the person's release would
defeat the ends of justice, and the Board shall record the reasons for denying the bail and circumstances that led to such a decision.
(2) When such person having been apprehended is not released on bail under subsection (1) by the officer-in-charge of the police station, such officer shall cause the person to be kept only in an observation home in such manner as may be prescribed until the person can be brought before a Board.
(3) When such person is not released on bail under sub-section (1) by the Board, it shall make an order sending him to an observation home or a place of safety, as the case may be, for such period during the pendency of the inquiry regarding the person, as may be specified in the order.
(4 ) When a child in conflict with law is unable to fulfil the conditions of bail order within seven days of the bail order, such child shall be produced before the Board for modification of the conditions of bail."
The aforesaid 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 such very convincing basis or material which may bring the case of the revisionist within the exceptions provided in Section 12 of the Act.
In view of this Court there does not appear any such justifiable material or evidence on record to show that by releasing the revisionist 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.
Thus keeping in perspective the period of detention already undergone by the revisionist, accordingly, the revision stands allowed. The orders impugned dated 09.11.2020 passed by the Board and the order dated 8.12.2020 passed by the Special Judge are set-aside.
The revisionist- Shahnawaz (Minor) involved in the aforesaid case be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond through his real brother / Ash Mohammad and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Board concerned.
Order Date :- 15.9.2021 RPD
3 issues framed by the court
Whether the rejection of bail application by the Juvenile Justice Board and Special Judge was justified under Section 12 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
Whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that releasing the juvenile would expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger or defeat the ends of justice.
Whether the impugned orders dismissing the appeal and rejecting bail are sustainable.
4 provisions across 3 enactments
Shahnawaz
State Of U.P.
Gautam Chowdhary
Rakesh Kumar Mishra
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
