Allowed

"X" Juvenile v. State of U.P. and 3 Others

Allahabad HC21 Jul 2025CRLR/2769/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Juvenile accused of rape and POCSO offences challenged rejection of his bail by the Juvenile Justice Board and appellate court. Holding that gravity of offence is not a valid ground to deny juvenile bail, the High Court set aside both orders and released the juvenile on bail with conditions.

What did the court decide?

Juvenile released on bail on personal bond of Rs.20,000 with two sureties each of like amount, subject to conditions including no tampering with evidence and presence before trial court.

"X" Juvenile Vs State of U.P. and 3 Others — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Allahabad HC (2025)

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Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:119595

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Court No. - 47

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Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 2769 of 2025

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Revisionist :- "X" Juvenile Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others Counsel for Revisionist :- Harendra Yadav,Prabhat Singh Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.

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Hon'ble Siddharth,J.

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Compliance affidavit filed by learned A.G.A. informs that notice has been served upon the opposite party no.4. but no one appears on his behalf to oppose this criminal revision.

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Heard learned counsel for the revisionist; learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the material on record.

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The present criminal revision has been filed to quash the order dated 29.4.2025 passed by District and Sessions Judge/Special Judge (POCSO Act)/Juvenile Court, Hamirpur in Juvenile Criminal Appeal No. 169 of 2024 and order dated 25.4.2025 passed by the Juvenile Justice Board, Hamirpur in Case Crime No. 169 of 2024 under Section 376(2)(n),506,450 I.P.C, and section 6 POCSO Act Police Station Kurara District Hamirpur.

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Learned counsel for the revisionist submits:

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(i) admittedly, the revisionist was a juvenile, aged about 17 years, 7 months 3 days on the date of alleged incident. He is in Child Protection Home since 19.5.2024;

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(ii) the revisionist has been falsely implicated;

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(iii) there is no specific or strong objection raised in the DPO report, other than the general and vague observations;

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(iv) there is no criminal history of the revisionist;

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(v) there is no hope of early conclusion of the trial;

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(vi) the applicant has remained confined in the child observation home for an unduly long period of time;

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(vii) none of the grounds contemplated under section 12 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) are available, to deny the bail to the applicant.

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(ix) therefore, the impugned orders have been assailed as erroneous and contrary to law.

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Learned A.G.A. for the State vehemently opposed the present criminal revision. It is submitted, the incident reported is true and it is wrong to say that the allegations made against the revisionist are false, and/are motivated. Also, reliance has been placed on the findings recorded in the bail rejection orders to submit that the instant revision may be dismissed.

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It is not in dispute that the revisionist is a juvenile and is entitled to the benefits of the provisions of the Act. Under Section 12 of the Act, the prayer for bail of a juvenile may be rejected 'if there appear reasonable grounds for believing that the release of the juvenile 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'.

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The court has to see whether the opinion of the learned appellate Court as well as Juvenile Justice Board recorded in the impugned judgment and orders are in consonance with the provision of the Act. Section 12 of the Act lays down three contingencies in which bail may be refused to a juvenile offender. These are:-

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(i) if the release is likely to bring him into association with any known criminal, or

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(ii) expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger, or

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(iii) that his release would defeat the ends of justice?

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Gravity of the offence has not been mentioned as a ground to reject the bail. It is not a relevant factor while considering to grant bail to the juvenile. It has been so held by this Court in Shiv Kumar alias Sadhu Vs. State of U.P. 2010 (68) ACC 616(LB) . It has been consistently followed in subsequent decisions of this court.

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Thus, it remains largely undisputed that the applicant - was a juvenile on the date of occurrence; does not appear to be prone to criminal proclivity or criminal psychology, in light of the observations of the D.P.O; does not have a criminal history; has been in confinement for an unduly long period of time, in as much as the trial has not concluded within time frame contemplated by the Act. Even otherwise, there does not appear to exist any factor or circumstance mentioned in section 12 of the Act as may dis-entitle the applicant to grant of bail, at this stage. The father of the applicant undertakes to address the statutory concerns expressed in section 12 of the Act, as to the safety and well being of the applicant, upon his release.

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In view of the above, it appears that the findings recorded by the learned Court below are in conflict with the settled principle in law, for the purpose of grant of bail and are erroneous and contrary to the law laid down by this court. The impugned orders are, hereby, set aside.

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In view of the observations made above, the present criminal revision is allowed . Let the revisionist, X-Juvenile, s/o Vinesh @ Maiku, involved in the aforesaid case crime be released on bail, on his furnishing personal bond of Rs. 20,000/ - with two sureties each of like amount, to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions:

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(i) The revisionist shall not tamper with the evidence or threaten the witnesses;

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(ii) The revisionist through guardian shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the date fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial Court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law;

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(iii) The revisionist through guardian shall remain present before the trial Court on each date fixed, either personally or through his counsel. In case of his absence, without sufficient cause, the trial Court may proceed against him under Section 229-A of the Indian Penal Code/ section 269 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita .

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Registrar (compliance) is directed to communicate the order to the Child Observation Home concerned within a week.

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Order Date :- 22.7.2025 Atul kr. sri.

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Digitally signed by :- ATUL KUMAR SRIVASTAVA High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

"X" Juvenile v. State of U.P. and 3 Others

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"X" Juvenile v. State of U.P. and 3 Others

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