Sunder Lal @ Sunder Lal Raidas Vs State of… — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Allahabad HC (2025)

Sunder Lal @ Sunder Lal Raidas Vs State of… — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Allahabad HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Release on bail in FIR No.246 of 2024 on furnishing a personal bond with two sureties of Rs.20,000/- each to the satisfaction of the court concerned, subject to the stated conditions (attend hearings; commit no similar offence; no inducement/threat/promise or tampering with evidence).

Issue for consideration

Whether the applicant, accused in FIR No.246 of 2024 (Section 65(1), 74, 126(2), 351(3) BNS & 3/4 of POCSO Act, P.S. Behta Mujawar, District Unnao), is entitled to be enlarged on bail.

Court's answer

Considering the aforesaid facts (including the victim's trial statement not supporting the prosecution and her denial of age), the applicant who is in custody since 20.09.2024 and has no criminal antecedents is entitled to be enlarged on bail.

Ratio / Principle

The applicant is to be released on bail in the aforesaid FIR number on furnishing a personal bond with two sureties of Rs.20,000/- each to the satisfaction of the court concerned, subject to conditions: attendance at hearings, non-commission of similar offences, and no inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts or tampering with evidence.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail application (Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 652 of 2025, Allahabad High Court, Lucknow; Pankaj Bhatia, J.; decided October 30, 2025) ALLOWED. Applicant Sunder Lal @ Sunder Lal Raidas sought bail in FIR No.246 of 2024, P.S. Behta Mujawar, District Unnao, under Section 65(1), 74, 126(2), 351(3) BNS & 3/4 of the POCSO Act. FIR alleged misbehaviour with the informant's daughter aged about 15 years; no allegation of rape was levelled. In the statement recorded during trial, the victim did not support the prosecution statement and denied her age. Considering custody since 20.09.2024 and absence of criminal antecedents, the applicant was held entitled to bail and released on a personal bond with two sureties of Rs.20,000/- each, subject to conditions of attending hearings, committing no similar offence, and making no inducement, threat or promise to witnesses or tampering with evidence.

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD LUCKNOW

CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 652 of 2025

Sunder Lal @ Sunder Lal Raidas

.....Applicant(s)

Versus

State Of U.P. Thru. Addl. Chief Secy. Home Deptt. Lko. And 3 Others .....Opposite Party(s) Counsel for Applicant(s) : Rajendra Prasad, Kuldeep Prakash Counsel for Opposite Party(s) : G.A., Archana Yadav

Court No. - 12

HON'BLE PANKAJ BHATIA, J.

1. Heard learned counsel for the applicant, learned AGA and perused the record.

2. The applicant seeks enlargement on bail in FIR No.246 of 2024, under Section 65(1), 74, 126(2), 351(3) BNS & 3/4 of POCSO Act, P.S. Behta Mujawar, District Unnao.

3. In terms of the FIR it was alleged that daughter of the informant aged about 15 years was misbehaved with by the applicant; no allegation of rape was levelled. Subsequently, in the statement recorded during trial filed alongwith supplementary affidavit, the victim has not supported the prosecution statement and has also denied her age.

4. Learned AGA has opposed the bail application.

5. Considering the aforesaid, the applicant who is in custody since 20.09.2024 and has no criminal antecedents, is entitled to be enlarged on bail. In view thereof, the application is allowed .

6. Let the applicant Sunder Lal @ Sunder Lal Raidas be released on bail in aforesaid FIR number on his furnishing a personal bond with two sureties of Rs.20,000/- each to the satisfaction of court concerned with the following conditions:

BAIL No. 652 of 2025

2

(a) The applicant shall execute a bond to undertake to attend the hearings;

(b) The applicant shall not commit any offence similar to the offence of which he is accused or suspected of the commission; and

(c) The applicant 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.

(Pankaj Bhatia,J.)

October 30, 2025

nishant

Digitally signed by :- NISHANT MOHAN High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, Lucknow Bench