Nikhil Prasad Vs the State of Jharkhand — Cheating and Forgery | Jharkhand HC (2026)

Nikhil Prasad Vs the State of Jharkhand — Cheating and Forgery | Jharkhand HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Anticipatory bail granted conditionally: petitioner to surrender within three weeks; on surrender/arrest, release on furnishing bail bond of Rs.25,000/- with two sureties of like amount each, to the satisfaction of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Latehar, in connection with Chandwa PS Case No.141 of 2023, subject to conditions under section 482(2) of BNSS, 2023.

Issue for consideration

Whether anticipatory bail should be granted to Nikhil Prasad, who is apprehending arrest in connection with Chandwa PS Case No.141 of 2023 (offences under sections 420, 406, 467, 468, 471 IPC) pending before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Latehar.

Court's answer

The court is inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner.

Ratio / Principle

Grounds relied upon for the grant: the petitioner purchased the land from Sanjay Prasad Gupta @ Sanjay Prasad Sahu @ Sanjay Kumar Gupta, who held the power of attorney and had already been granted anticipatory bail, and the petitioner's name has been mutated in the Circle Office.

Key takeaways

Terms of the grant: petitioner directed to surrender before the learned court within three weeks; on surrender/arrest he shall be released on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs.25,000/- with two sureties of like amount each, to the satisfaction of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Latehar, in connection with Chandwa PS Case No.141 of 2023, subject to the conditions laid down under section 482(2) of BNSS, 2023.ratio¶6

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Anticipatory bail granted — Nikhil Prasad, A.B.A. No. 4001 of 2026, High Court of Jharkhand, Ranchi (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.), decided 22.07.2026. Petitioner apprehended arrest in Chandwa PS Case No.141 of 2023 (Ss. 420, 406, 467, 468, 471 IPC), pending before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Latehar; State counsel alleged sale of land on the basis of a forged power of attorney. Grant rested on: petitioner's purchase of 3.18 acres from Sanjay Prasad Gupta @ Sanjay Prasad Sahu @ Sanjay Kumar Gupta, holder of the power of attorney (executed at Ranchi on 07.05.2016 for 12.24 acres at Village Hutap), who had already secured anticipatory bail in ABA No.9843 of 2023; co-accused Govinda Kumar @ Pappu Kumar likewise granted anticipatory bail in ABA No.3918 of 2026; petitioner reported to have no criminal antecedent (para 12 of petition); and mutation of petitioner's name in the Circle Office. Petitioner directed to surrender within three weeks; on surrender/arrest, release on a bail bond of Rs.25,000/- with two sureties of like amount each, to the satisfaction of the ACJM, Latehar, subject to conditions under S. 482(2) BNSS, 2023.

2026:JHHC:21684

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND, RANCHI

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A.B.A. No. 4001 of 2026

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Nikhil Prasad, aged about 40 years, son of Umesh Prasad, resident of Village Chandwa, PO and PS Chandwa, District Latehar, Jharkhand .... Petitioner

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

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI --For the Petitioner :- Mr. Ashish Kr Thakur, Advocate For the State :- Mr. Manoj Kumar Mishra, Advocate ----

2 /22.07.2026 Heard learned counsels for petitioner and for State.

The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection

with Chandwa PS Case No.141 of 2023, for offence registered under section 420, 406, 467, 468, 471 of IPC, pending in court of learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Latehar.

Learned counsel for petitioner submits that the power of attorney was done in Ranchi on 07.05.2016 for the land measuring area 12.24 acres situated at Village Hutap, however, the FIR was lodged on 05.07.2023. He next submits that the petitioner has purchased the land measuring 3.18 acres from one Sanjay Prasad Gupta @ Sanjay Prasad Sahu @ Sanjay Kumar Gupta and the said Gupta has been granted anticipatory bail in ABA No.9843 of 2023. He also submits that the co-accused namely Govinda Kumar @ Pappu Kumar has been granted anticipatory bail in ABA No.3918 of 2026 and the petitioner has got no criminal antecedent as disclosed

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2026:JHHC:21684

in paragraph no.12 of the petition.

Learned State counsel opposes prayer and submits that the allegations are there of selling the land on the basis of forged power of attorney.

Considering that the petitioner has purchased the land from Sanjay Prasad Gupta @ Sanjay Prasad Sahu @ Sanjay Kumar Gupta who was having power of attorney and the said Gupta has been granted anticipatory bail as aforesaid and it has been pointed out that in the Circle Office the name of the petitioner has been mutated, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner.

Accordingly, petitioner, above named, is hereby directed to surrender before learned court within three weeks from today, and in event of his surrender/arrest, petitioner, above named, shall be released on bail, on furnishing bail bond of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand), with two sureties of like amount each, to satisfaction of learned Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Latehar, in connection with Chandwa PS Case No.141 of 2023, subject to the conditions as laid down under section 482(2) of Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

( Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.)

22.07.2026 SI/

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