Vilas Mohan Manjrekar Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Vilas Mohan Manjrekar Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Regular bail: release on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 25,000 with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVII, Ranchi, subject to conditions (no annoyance or disturbance of the informant or other witnesses during trial, co-operation with the trial, and furnishing of mobile phone number and Aadhar Card copy with undertaking not to change the mobile number during trial).

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, in custody since 30.08.2024 in S.T. Case No. 783 of 2024 (Airport P.S. Case No. 40/2024) for offences under Sections 140(2), 140(3), 61(2) of the B.N.S., 2023 and Section 25(1-B)A, 26/35 of the Arms Act, is entitled to regular bail in view of P.W.1's failure to implicate or identify him, the absence of a T.I. Parade, and parity with a co-accused already admitted to bail.

Court's answer

Bail granted: the court below is directed to release the petitioner on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 25,000 with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVII, Ranchi, in connection with Airport P.S. Case No. 40/2024 / S.T. Case No. 783 of 2024.

Ratio / Principle

Release is subject to conditions: the petitioner shall not annoy or disturb the informant or other witnesses during trial, shall co-operate with the trial, and shall furnish his mobile phone number and a photocopy of his Aadhar Card with an undertaking not to change the mobile number during the trial.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Regular bail — fourth application — High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi (Anil Kumar Choudhary, J.), Order No.02 dated 17.04.2026 in B.A. No. 3058 of 2026 — petitioner accused in Airport P.S. Case No. 40/2024 / S.T. Case No. 783 of 2024 for offences under Sections 140(2), 140(3), 61(2) of the B.N.S., 2023 and Section 25 (1-B)A, 26/35 of the Arms Act — in custody since 30.08.2024 — fresh ground: P.W.1 examined at trial did not implicate the petitioner and could not identify him; petitioner not put on T.I. Parade though not named in the FIR — co-accused with similar allegations already admitted to bail by this Court on 16.07.2025 in B.A. No.5907 of 2025 — held, petitioner released on bail on bail bond of Rs. 25,000 with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVII, Ranchi, subject to conditions: no annoyance or disturbance of the informant or other witnesses during trial, co-operation with the trial, and furnishing of mobile phone number and photocopy of Aadhar Card with undertaking not to change the mobile number during trial.

( 2026:JHHC:11017 ) IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No. 3058 of 2026

Vilas Mohan Manjrekar, aged about 43 years, s/o Mohan Dhondu Manjrekar, r/o Room No.3, Bala Govind Chawl, Saki Vihar Road, near Lok Vihar Building, Paspoli, P.O.-NITIE, P.S.-Powai, Dist.-Mumbai, Maharashtra

… Petitioner

Versus

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

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL KUMAR CHOUDHARY

For the Petitioner : Mr. Ankit Apurva, Advocate : Mr. Prakash Jha, Advocate For the State : Mrs. Sushma Aind, Addl. P.P.

------

Order No.02 Dated- 17.04.2026

Heard the parties.

The petitioner has been made accused in connection with Airport P.S. Case No. 40/2024 corresponds to S.T. Case No. 783 of 2024 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 140(2), 140(3), 61(2) of the B.N.S., 2023 and Section 25 (1-B)A, 26/35 of Arms Act.

Learned counsel for the petitioner files the supplementary affidavit. Keep the same in the record.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that this is the fourth journey of the petitioner with the prayer for regular bail. It is next submitted that the fresh ground is that the P.W.1 has been examined and he has not stated anything to implicate the petitioner in this case nor could he identify the petitioner, at the time of his deposition in the court. It is submitted that the allegations against the petitioner are all false and the petitioner has not been put on T.I. Parade even though he was not named in the FIR. It is next submitted that the petitioner has been in custody since 30.08.2024, as has been mentioned in para 12 of this bail application. It is next submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner undertakes to co-operate with the trial

of the case and further undertakes that he will not annoy or disturb the informant or the other witness of the case in any manner during trial of the case. It is lastly submitted that the co-accused person with similar allegation has already been admitted to bail by this Court vide order dated 16.07.2025 in B.A. No.5907 of 2025. Hence, it is submitted that the petitioner be admitted to bail.

Learned Addl. P.P. opposed the prayer for bail.

Considering submissions of learned counsels and the facts as stated above, I am inclined to release the petitioner on bail. Hence, the court below is directed to release the petitioner on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVII, at Ranchi in connection with Airport P.S. Case No. 40/2024 corresponds to S.T. Case No. 783 of 2024 with the condition that the petitioner will not annoy or disturb the informant or the other witness of the case in any manner during trial of the case and will co-operate with the trial of the case and will furnish mobile phone number and photocopy of the Aadhar Card in the court below with an undertaking that he will not change the mobile phone number during the trial of the case.

(Anil Kumar Choudhary, J . )

17.04.2026

Gunjan-