Mithun Rikasan v. State of U.P.
Case brief
What is this about?
Allahabad High Court (Rajiv Lochan Shukla, J.), Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 13177 of 2026, decided May 7, 2026. Bail granted under Section 143(5) BNS 2023 (child trafficking), Case Crime No.03 of 2025, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit P.S., Varanasi. Key grounds: absence of abduction, inducement or payment-based consent; no police finding of trafficking for 'exploitation' under Section 143 BNS 2023; children allegedly taken to Punjab for potato harvesting at Rs.15,000/month; applicant a relative of some minors, no criminal history, in custody since 17.12.2025; A.G.A. could not show threats, force, coercion, deception or fraud. Conditions imposed incl. two heavy sureties and one local surety; BOMS release direction.
What did the court decide?
Bail application allowed; accused-applicant Mithun Rikasan to be released on bail on executing a personal bond and two reliable heavy sureties and one local surety (applicant being a resident of Bihar), each in the like amount, to the satisfaction of the court concerned, subject to conditions: (i) not tamper with evidence; (ii) not indulge in criminal activity; (iii) not pressurize/intimidate prosecution witnesses and cooperate in trial; (iv) appear regularly on every date fixed by the trial court unless exempted; breach entitles the court below to cancel bail. Release permitted on computer-generated copy of the order verified by counsel, certified copy to be filed within 15 days; trial court to send release order to jail through BOMS.