Krishna Snehi Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Krishna Snehi Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

All four petitioners directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 20,000/- each with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVIII-cum-Special Judge, CID, Ranchi, in connection with CID P.S. Case No. 01 of 2025 corresponding to Ratu P.S. Case No. 405/2024.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioners, accused in CID P.S. Case No. 01 of 2025 / Ratu P.S. Case No. 405/2024 for offences under Ss. 316(2), 318(2), 318(4), 61(2) of the B.N.S., 2023 and Ss. 12(2), 12(3) of the Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023, should be released on bail.

Court's answer

Considering the facts placed before it — counsel's submissions that investigation revealed no leakage of the examination question paper, that the allegation against the petitioners was confined to contacting students and telling them question papers were available for money, and that similarly situated co-accused had already been granted bail, none of which the State disputed — the Court was inclined to release the petitioners on bail.

Ratio / Principle

The petitioners were directed to be released on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVIII-cum-Special Judge, CID, Ranchi, in connection with CID P.S. Case No. 01 of 2025 corresponding to Ratu P.S. Case No. 405/2024.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail granted by common order in four bail applications (B.A. Nos. 6227, 4758, 7401 and 7550 of 2025) arising out of CID P.S. Case No. 01 of 2025 corresponding to Ratu P.S. Case No. 405/2024, registered for offences under Ss. 316(2), 318(2), 318(4) and 61(2) of the B.N.S., 2023 and Ss. 12(2) and 12(3) of the Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023, relating to the alleged leakage of the question paper of the Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination, 2023. Counsel submitted that investigation revealed no question paper was actually leaked, that the allegation against the petitioners was confined to contacting students and offering question papers for money, and that similarly situated co-accused had already been granted bail; the State did not dispute these facts though it noted a Division Bench had directed further investigation. Holding the aforesaid facts sufficient, Ambuj Nath, J. released each petitioner on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 20,000/- with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVIII-cum-Special Judge, CID, Ranchi.

Neutral Citation No. ( 2025:JHHC:29093 ) IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI

B.A. No. 6227 of 2025

Akhilesh Kumar, aged about 34 years, S/o. Kapil Prasad Yadav, R/o. Vill.- Sihas, P.O. & P.S.- Satgawan, Sihsa, Dist. Koderma, Jharkhand.

… … Petitioner

-Versus - The State of Jharkhand ... … Opposite Party With

B.A. No. 4758 of 2025

Krishna Snehi, aged about 26 years, S/o. Ram Ratan Kumar, R/o. Vill.- Ghose, P.O. & P.S.- Deori, Dist. Giridih.

… … Petitioner

-Versus - The State of Jharkhand ... … Opposite Party

With

B.A. No. 7401 of 2025

Abhilash Kumar, aged about 34 years, S/o. Ramesh Singh, R/o. Vill.Pihra, Gawan, P.O.- Pihra, P.S.- Gawan, Dist. Giridih, Jharkhand.

… … Petitioner

-Versus - The State of Jharkhand ... … Opposite Party

B.A. No. 7550 of 2025

Manoj Kumar, aged about 37 years, S/o. Late Ram Bali, R/o. Vill.Koirajpur, P.O.- Harahua, P.S.- Baragaon, Dist. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). … … Petitioner

-Versus -

The State of Jharkhand ... … Opposite Party

CORAM: - HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE AMBUJ NATH

For the Petitioner : Mr. Abhishek S Sinha, Advocate (For B.A. No. 6227 of 2025) : Mr. Aman Kumar Rahul, Advocate (For B.A. No. 4758 of 2025) : Mr. Vikram Kumar, Advocate (For B.A. No. 7401 of 2025) : Mr. L.C. N. Shahedeo, Advocate : Mr. Yash Raj Gupta, Advocate (For B.A. No. 7550 of 2025) For the State : Mr. Manoj Kumar, G.A.-III

03/19.09.2025

All these bail applications arise out of the same police case. Accordingly, all these cases are being disposed of by a common order.

Heard the parties.

The Petitioners have been made accused in connection with CID P.S. Case No. 01 of 2025 corresponding to Ratu P.S. Case No. 405/2024 for the offences registered under Sections 316(2), 318(2), 318(4), 61(2) of the B.N.S., 2023 and Sections 12(2), 12(3) of the Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Prevention and Redressal of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023, pending in the Court of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVIII-cum-Special Judge, CID, Ranchi.

All these cases relate to leakage of question paper of Jharkhand General Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination, 2023. It is alleged that these petitioners had enticed several students and gave them references of persons from whom they could obtain question papers of the said Examination, for which they had taken money.

Learned counsels on behalf of the petitioners have submitted that during course of investigation, it has come to light that no question paper of the aforesaid Examination was leaked. It was further submitted that only allegation against these petitioners is that they had contacted some students and had talked to them that question papers of the aforesaid Examination are available and the same will be given to them, if they paid money to the petitioners. It was finally submitted that similarly situated several co-accused persons have been granted bail by this Court earlier.

Mr. Manoj Kumar, learned GA-III representing the State has opposed the prayer for bail of the petitioners, but he does not dispute the aforesaid facts. However, it was submitted a Division Bench of this court has directed for further investigation.

Considering the aforesaid facts, I am inclined to release the petitioners, on bail. Accordingly, the petitioners, named above, are directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 20,000/(Rupees Twenty Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial CommissionerXVIII-cum-Special Judge, CID, Ranchi in connection with CID P.S. Case No. 01 of 2025 corresponding to Ratu P.S. Case No. 405/2024.

(Ambuj Nath, J.)

19.09.2025 Rahul/-