Rahul Kumar Karmali @ Rahul Karmali Vs State… — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Jharkhand HC (2026)

Rahul Kumar Karmali @ Rahul Karmali Vs State… — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Jharkhand HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Enlargement of the petitioner on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 25,000/- (Rs. Twenty five thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Session Judge III-cum-Special Judge (POCSO), Hazaribagh, subject to conditions: (i) one bailor to be the petitioner's present pairvikar; (ii) the other bailor a close relative; (iii) attendance on each and every date, with cancellation of the bail bond on a single default; (iv) deposit of a self-attested copy of Aadhar Card along with mobile number, not to change during pendency without prior permission of the court; (v) full co-operation with the proceedings before the court below. Copy of the order with the bail affidavit to be sent to the court concerned through FAX/E-mail.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, in custody since 08.07.2025 for alleged offences under Sections 96 Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 4 of the POCSO Act in POCSO Case No. 77 of 2025 (Daru P.S. Case No. 54 of 2025), should be enlarged on bail. +1 more

Court's answer

After hearing the parties and considering that the victim had already been examined and stated she eloped with the petitioner and was having an affair with him, the petitioner was directed to be enlarged on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 25,000/- with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of the learned Additional Session Judge III-cum-Special Judge (POCSO), Hazaribagh.

Ratio / Principle

The stated ground for granting bail was that the victim had already been examined before the court and had stated that she eloped with the petitioner and was having an affair with him; the Court weighed this against the State's objection based on the admit-card date of birth.

Key takeaways

Bail was made subject to stringent attendance: the petitioner must attend court on each and every date, and on account of even a single default the learned court shall cancel the bail bond furnished by him.ratio¶19
The instant bail application is allowed with the aforesaid conditions, and a copy of the order along with the bail affidavit is to be communicated to the court concerned through FAX/E-mail.ratio¶22

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail Application (B.A. No. 1450 of 2026), High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi (Hon'ble Mrs. Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary), decided 11.03.2026: Petitioner, aged about 25 years, in custody since 08.07.2025 in POCSO Case No. 77 of 2025 arising out of Daru P.S. Case No. 54 of 2025 for alleged offences under Sections 96, Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 4, POCSO Act, pending before the learned Additional Session Judge III-cum-Special Judge (POCSO), Hazaribagh. Petitioner's counsel produced the certified deposition of the victim, who stated she had a love affair with the petitioner, eloped because her marriage was fixed elsewhere by her family, married him in Chennai, established physical relations, and deposed she was more than 18 years of age at the time of occurrence; the State opposed bail relying on the Class X (2025) admit card showing her date of birth as 01.01.2009. Considering that the victim had already been examined, the Court enlarged the petitioner on bail on a bond of Rs. 25,000/- with two sureties of like amount each, subject to conditions that one bailor be his present pairvikar and the other a close relative, that he attend court on every date with the bail bond liable to be cancelled on a single default, that he deposit a self-attested copy of his Aadhar Card with mobile number, and that he fully co-operate with the trial-court proceedings. Bail application allowed; order and bail affidavit to be communicated through FAX/E-mail.

2026:JHHC:6455

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI

B.A. No. 1450 of 2026

Rahul Kumar Karmali @ Rahul Karmali, aged about 25 years, Son of Deochand Karmali Resident of Village Rahamdaga, P.O. Rahamdaga, P.S.- Daru, District- Hazaribagh(Jharkhand)

CORAM :HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ANUBHA RAWAT CHOUDHARY

--For the Petitioner : Mr. Himanshu Harsh, Advocate For the Opp. Party-State : Mr. Jitendra Pandey, Advocate

04 /11.03.2026

1. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody since 08.07.2025 in connection with POCSO Case No. 77 of 2025 arising out of Daru P.S. Case No. 54 of 2025, for the alleged offence registered under Sections 96 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 4 of POCSO Act pending in the court of learned Additional Session Judge, III-cum- Special Judge (POCSO), Hazaribagh.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is 25 years of age. Learned counsel for the petitioner has produced a certified copy of deposition of the victim during the court proceeding and has submitted that when the victim has been examined before the court, she has stated that she was having love affair with the petitioner and her marriage was fixed in another place by her family members and therefore, she eloped with the petitioner and solemnized marriage in Chennai. The victim also stated that the petitioner established physical relation with her many times. Learned counsel submits that the victim has deposed in her statement before the court that she was more than 18 years of age at the time of occurrence.

4. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the opposite party-State has opposed the prayer and has submitted that as per the admit card of

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2026:JHHC:6455

class X of Secondary Examination of 2025 the date of birth of the victim is 01.01.2009 and therefor, the victim was minor.

5. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties and considering the arguments advanced by the learned counsel for the petitioner and the fact that the victim has already been examined before the court who stated that she eloped with the petitioner and she was having affair with the petitioner and her marriage was fixed in another place by her family members, the present petitioner is directed to be enlarged on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 25,000/- (Rs. Twenty five thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Additional Session Judge III-cum-Special Judge (POCSO), Hazaribagh in connection with POCSO Case No. 77 of 2025 arising out of Daru P.S. Case No. 54 of 2025, on the following conditions:

(i) One of the bailors would be the present pairvikar of the petitioner.

(ii) The other bailor should be his close relative.

(iii) The petitioner will attend the court on each and every date and on account of his single default, the learned court shall cancel the bail bond furnished by the petitioner.

(iv) The petitioner will deposit a self-attested copy of his Aadhar Card along with his mobile number before the learned court which he will not change during the pendency of the case without prior permission of the court.

(v) The petitioner shall fully co-operate with the proceedings before the learned court below.

6. The instant bail application is allowed with the aforesaid conditions.

7. Let a copy of this order along with a copy of the affidavit filed with the bail petition be communicated to the court concerned through ‘FAX/E-mail’.

(Anubha Rawat Choudhary, J.)

Uploaded on:-11.03.2026

11.03.2026 Rakesh/-

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