Alok Barman Vs the State of West Bengal — Dowry and Cruelty | Calcutta HC (2026)

Alok Barman Vs the State of West Bengal — Dowry and Cruelty | Calcutta HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petitioner Alok Barman to be released on bail upon furnishing bond of Rs.10,000/- with two sureties of like amount each (one of whom should be local) to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dinhata, subject to conditions that he shall appear before the learned trial Court on every date of hearing and shall not intimidate witnesses or tamper with evidence; on failure to adhere to the conditions without justifiable cause, the learned trial Court shall be at liberty to cancel his bail in accordance with law without further reference to this Court.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner Alok Barman, husband of the victim who committed suicide in her matrimonial home and in custody for more than four months in connection with Dinhata Police Station case no. 488 of 2025 under Sections 85/80 of the BNS, 2023 and Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, should be released on bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Court's answer

The allegation against the petitioner is general and omnibus and he appears to be similarly circumstanced with the co-accused who have been granted anticipatory bail.

Ratio / Principle

The charge sheet has been submitted and further detention of the petitioner is not required for the purpose of custodial interrogation.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail — Section 483, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — application by the husband of a victim who committed suicide in her matrimonial home; Dinhata Police Station Case No. 488 of 2025 dated 10/10/2025 under Sections 85/80, BNS, 2023 and Sections 3/4, Dowry Prohibition Act — allegation against the petitioner general and omnibus; petitioner similarly circumstanced with co-accused already granted anticipatory bail; charge sheet submitted; further detention not required for custodial interrogation; custody of over four months — bail granted on bond of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only) with two sureties of like amount each, one local, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dinhata, subject to conditions of appearance on every date of hearing and non-intimidation of witnesses / non-tampering with evidence; trial Court at liberty to cancel bail on breach without further reference — CRM (M) 36 of 2026 disposed of.

February 18, 2026 42 ARDR Allowed

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA CIRCUIT BENCH AT JALPAIGURI CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS JURISDICTION

CRM (M) 36 of 2026

In Re : An application for bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 in connection with Dinhata Police Station case no. 488 of 2025 dated 10/10/2025 under Sections 85/80 of the BNS, 2023 and Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

And

In Re : Alok Barman ... Petitioner Adv. Sudip Guha, Adv. Ananda Paul, Adv. Ankita Nag, ... for the Petitioner. Adv. Ujjwal Luksom, Adv. Chattu Roy, …for the State.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody for more than four months. He is the husband of the victim and has been falsely implicated. He prays for bail.

Learned counsel for the State opposes the prayer.

The petitioner is the husband of the victim who committed suicide in her matrimonial home. Allegation against the petitioner is general and omnibus and he appears to be similarly circumstanced with the co accused who have been granted anticipatory bail. Charge sheet has been submitted. Further detention of the petitioner is not required for the purpose of custodial interrogation.

Accordingly, the prayer for bail is allowed.

The petitioner namely Alok Barman be released on bail upon furnishing bond of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only), with

2

two sureties of like amount each, one of whom should be local, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dinhata subject to condition that he shall appear before the learned trial Court on every date of hearing. He shall not intimidate witnesses or tamper with evidence in any manner whatsoever.

In the event the petitioner fails to adhere to any of the conditions as stated above without justifiable cause, the learned trial Court shall be at liberty to cancel his bail in accordance with law without further reference to this Court.

CRM (M) 36 of 2026 is thus disposed of.

Case Diary be returned.

All parties shall act on the server copy of this order duly downloaded from the official website of this Court.

Urgent certified website copy of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties, upon compliance with all requisite formalities.

(Suvra Ghosh, J.)