High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi, decision dated 20.06.2024 (Ratnaker Bhengra, J.). Six bail applications — B.A. Nos. 358, 657, 716, 726, 771 and 1240 of 2024 (Sonu Kumar Singh; Sarfraj Alam @ Md. Sarfaraj Alam; Tohid Ansari; Minhazuddin Ali @ Minhaz Ali; Krishna Nayak; Nawaj Akhtar) against the State of Jharkhand — were heard together and allowed. The petitioners are among many persons accused in Kanke P.S. Case No. 240 of 2023, corresponding to G.R. No. 3219 of 2023 and S.T. No. 171 of 2024, for offences under Sections 307, 120B & 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25(1-B) a, 25(6), 26, 27 & 35 of the Arms Act, pending before Shri S. Birua, learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XI, Ranchi. Counsel urged parity, noting that the FIR-named alleged main conspirator Chitranjan Kumar (bail vide order dated 16.05.24, BA No. 3921 of 2024) and co-accused Pankaj Kumar Gupta (order dated 29.04.2024, BA No. 2056 of 2024) as well as Basant Abraham Lugun, Jagdev Prasad Verma, Abhilasa Devi, Aman Kumar, Harsh Raj and Ankit Kumar had already been bailed, and that the shooters were yet to be apprehended. The Informant's counsel opposed the prayer, alleging active and passive roles — reconnaissance of the scene by Sarfaraz Alam, Tohid Ansari and Minhazuddin Ali, provision of vehicles for the fleeing shooters, arms recovered from their possession, money conveyed through Sonu Kumar from Chhitranjan Kumar via Abhilasa Devi, logistics support by Nawaj Akhtar, and money advanced or routed by Krishna Nayak — and counsel for the State endorsed those submissions. Granting bail on a bond of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand Only) each with two sureties of the like amount each before the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ranchi, in connection with Kanke P.S. Case No. 240 of 2023, the Court imposed conditions: (i) attendance at each and every trial date unless dispensed with by the court below; (ii) submission of a self-attested photocopy of the Aadhaar Card and a mobile number to be kept always active and unchanged during pendency without prior permission; (iii) reporting at the concerned police station on every second and fourth Saturday of the month between 01:00 and 05:00 p.m. for one year, default or adverse remarks rendering the bail bond liable to cancellation, with exemptions only upon direction from the learned Court below; and, further, refraining from intimidating or influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence in any manner whatsoever.
