Sonu Kumar Vs the State of Jharkhand — Cheating and Forgery | Jharkhand HC (2026)

Sonu Kumar Vs the State of Jharkhand — Cheating and Forgery | Jharkhand HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Anticipatory bail: petitioner directed to surrender before the learned court within two weeks and to be released on such terms, conditions and sureties as the learned court may deem fit and proper.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, apprehending arrest in Ramgarh P.S. Case No. 39/2025 (charges under B.N.S. 2023 and the I.T. Act) pending before the Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Dumka, is entitled to anticipatory bail.

Ratio / Principle

In considering the anticipatory bail prayer, the court took into account that the petitioner's name had surfaced in the confessional statement of the apprehended co-accused.

Key takeaways

The petitioner having no criminal antecedents, as disclosed in para 19 of the petition, weighed in favour of grant of anticipatory bail.ratio¶18
Parity supported relief: co-accused Bhupendra Mandal had been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in identical situation in ABA No. 5088 of 2025.ratio¶18
The petitioner was directed to surrender before the learned court within two weeks, and upon surrender the learned court shall release him on such terms, conditions and sureties as it may deem fit and proper.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Anticipatory bail — High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.) allowed ABA No.1006 of 2026 filed by Sonu Kumar, who was apprehending arrest in Ramgarh P.S. Case No. 39/2025, pending before the Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Dumka, for offences registered u/s 111(2)(b)/111(3)/111(4)/112(2)/317(2)/317(4)/318(2)/318(4)/319(2)/336(2)/336(3)/338/340(2)/3(5) of B.N.S. 2023 and u/s 66(B)/66(C)/66(D) of I.T. Act. Though not named in the FIR, the petitioner was implicated in the confessional statement of apprehended co-accused. Granting relief, the Court weighed his want of criminal antecedents (para 19 of the petition) and parity with co-accused Bhupendra Mandal, who had been granted anticipatory bail in identical situation in ABA No. 5088 of 2025; petitioner directed to surrender within two weeks and to be released on such terms, conditions and sureties as the learned court may deem fit and proper. Decided 09.03.2026.

2026:JHHC:6069

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI ABA No.1006 of 2026

Sonu Kumar aged about 26 years S/o Panchanand Mandal, Resident of Village Damudih, P.O.+P.S Ramgarh, District Dumka.

…. Petitioner

Versus

The State of Jharkhand … Opp. Party

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI

-----For the Petitioner : Mr. S.P. Roy, Advocate For the State : Mr. Achinto Sen, APP

2/09.03.2026 Heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of Petitioner and

learned counsel appearing on behalf of the State.

The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Ramgarh P.S. Case No. 39/2025, registered u/s 111(2) (b)/111(3)/111(4)/112(2)/317(2)/317(4)/318(2)/318(4)/319(2)/336(2)/ 336(3)/338/340(2)/3(5) of B.N.S. 2023 and u/s 66(B)/66(C)/66(D) of I.T. Act, pending in the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Dumka.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is not named in the FIR. In course of investigation, three apprehended co-accused have taken the name of the petitioner. He further submits that the petitioner has got no criminal antecedent as disclosed in para 19 of the petition. He next submits that in identical situation, the co-accused Bhupendra Mandal has been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in ABA No. 5088 of 2025.

Learned counsel appearing for the State opposed the prayer and submits that the name of the petitioner has come in the confessional statement of the apprehended co-accused.

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2026:JHHC:6069

Considering that the name of the petitioner has come in the confessional statement of the apprehended co-accused, and the petitioner has got no criminal antecedents as disclosed in para 19 of the petition and in identical situation, the co-accused Bhupendra Mandal has been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in aforesaid ABA, in that view of the matter, the petitioner above named is directed to surrender before the learned Court within two weeks and the learned Court shall release the petitioner on such terms and condition and sureties, the learned Court may deem fit and proper.

09.03.2026

R.Kumar

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