Allowed

Ajay v. State of U.P. and Another

Allahabad HC7 Nov 2024CRLA/10359/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court set aside an order rejecting bail for the appellant in a crime involving SC/ST atrocities and related IPC charges. Relying on parity with a co-accused, jail overcrowding, and Article 21, the court granted bail upon submission of a bond and sureties, subject to standard conditions and a disclaimer on merits.

What did the court decide?

The appellant, Ajay, released on bail by furnishing a personal bond and two sureties on standard conditions; bail order dated 20.9.2024 set aside.

Ajay vs State of U.P. and Another — Pension and Retirement Benefits | Allahabad HC (2024)

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Neutral Citation No. - 2024:AHC:174887

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Court No. - 48

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Case :- CRIMINAL APPEAL No. - 10359 of 2024

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Appellant :- Ajay Respondent :- State of U.P. and Another Counsel for Appellant :- A.C.Srivastava,Vinod Kumar Tripathi Counsel for Respondent :- G.A.

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Hon'ble Siddharth,J.

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Heard learned counsel for the appellant; learned AGA for State and perused the material placed on record.

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The present criminal appeal under Section 14-A(2) Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been filed by the appellant to set aside the impugned order dated 20.9.2024 whereby the Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Meerut, has rejected the bail application of the appellant moved by him in Case Crime No. 224 of 2022, under Sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 323, 302, 452, 354-Kh, 504, 506 IPC and Section 3(2)5 SC/ST Act, Police Station Mundali, District Meerut.

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Learned counsel for the appellant has contended that co-accused, Kuldeep, has been granted bail by this Court on 11.9.2024 in Criminal Appeal No.6677 of 2024. The case of the appellant stands on identical footing, hence the appellant is also entitled for bail on the ground of parity for the reasons given in Criminal of co-accused. The applicant is languishing in jail since 22.9.2022.

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Learned AGA has opposed the prayer for bail, but does not dispute the claim of parity.

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It appears from the arguments advanced by the counsel for the parties and from perusal of material on record that the court below has not properly considered the case of the appellant. Hence, in view of above consideration, the order of rejection of bail passed by the court below dated 20.9.2024 is, hereby, set aside.

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Having considered the submissions of the parties noted above, finding force in the submissions made by the learned counsel for the appellant; keeping in view uncertainty regarding conclusion of trial; one sided investigation by police, ignoring the case of accused side; appellant being under-trial having fundamental right to speedy; larger mandate of the Article 21 of the Constitution of India, considering 5-6 times overcrowding in jails over and above their capacity by under trials and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, Court is of the opinion that the appellant is entitled to be enlarged on bail.

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Let appellant, Ajay , be released on bail in the aforesaid case crime

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number on his furnishing a personal bond and two reliable sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned subject to the following conditions:

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(i) The appellant shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat, or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer or tamper with the evidence.

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(ii) The appellant shall not pressurize/intimidate the prosecution witnesses.

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(iii) The appellant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 313 of Cr.P.C.

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(iv) The appellant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in the trial court.

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(v) The appellant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through his counsel.

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(vi) The appellant shall not indulge in any criminal activity or commission of any crime after being released on bail.

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In case of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a ground for cancellation of bail. If in the opinion of the trial court that absence of the appellant is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed in accordance with law.

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The trial court may make all possible efforts/endeavour and try to conclude the trial expeditiously in accordance with law after the release of the appellant, if there is no other legal impediment.

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It is made clear that the observations made in this order are limited to the purpose of determination of this bail application and will in no way be construed as an expression on the merits of the case. The trial court shall be absolutely free to arrive at its independent conclusions on the basis of evidence led unaffected by anything said in this order.

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The criminal appeal is allowed.

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Order Date :- 7.11.2024 Ruchi Agrahari

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Digitally signed by :- RUCHI AGRAHARI High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

Ajay v. State of U.P. and Another

Case brief

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Ajay v. State of U.P. and Another

Case brief

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