Dismissed¶15

Sanjeev Kumar Panda v. the State of Jharkhand

Jharkhand HC17 Jun 2026B.A./5301/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Jharkhand HC, Ranchi (Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.), B.A. No.5301 of 2026, order dt. 17.06.2026: provisional bail (10.06.2026–25.06.2026) under S.483(1) r/w 484 BNSS 2023 to attend sister's marriage DISMISSED; accused in Bariatu P.S. Case 61/2023 / S.T. Case 445/2023 (Ss.364A, 302, 201, 420 IPC; kidnap-murder of 8-year-old boy); earlier bail in B.A. 2299/2024 set aside by Supreme Court in SLP(Crl) 14309/2024; later bail plea B.A. 2434/2026 not pressed/withdrawn; marriage rituals held not to outweigh gravity of crime.

What did the court decide?

Performance of rituals in a family marriage is not such an important necessity that the gravity of the crime alleged against the petitioner can be given go-bye. ¶11

Sanjeev Kumar Panda Vs the State of Jharkhand — Bail and Remand | Jharkhand HC (2026)

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2026:JHHC:17553

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI B.A. No.5301 of 2026

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Sanjeev Kumar Panda, Aged about 30 Years, S/o Sunil Kumar Panda, R/o Mahudar, Masratu, P.O. Hazaribagh & P.S. Katkamdag, District-Hazaribagh. … … Petitioner Versus

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The State of Jharkhand … … Opp. Party

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------- CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUJIT NARAYAN PRASAD

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For the Petitioner : Mr. Shashank Shekhar No.3, Advocate For the Opp. Party : Mr. Shiv Shankar Kumar, A.P.P. ------

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Order No. 02 / Dated 17^th June, 2026

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1. The instant application has been filed under Section 483(1) read with 484 of the B.N.S.S., 2023 seeking therein direction to enlarge the petitioner on provisional bail from 10.06.2026 to 25.06.2026 in connection with Bariatu P.s. Case No.61/2023 corresponding to S.T. Case No.445 of 2023, registered for the offence under Sections 364A, 302, 201 and 420 of the I.P.C. pending in the court of learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-V, Ranchi.

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2. The ground agitated for consideration is the marriage of sister of the petitioner and to substantiate the aforesaid fact, the photocopy of the wedding invitation card has been appended as Annexure-2.

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3. It has been contended that the presence of the present petitioner is necessary to perform certain rituals in the marriage of his sister and, therefore, the present application.

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2026:JHHC:17553

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4. Mr. Shiv Shankar Kumar, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, has vehemently opposed the prayer on the ground by referring to the nature of allegation in which an eight year old boy was initially kidnapped and subsequently murdered.

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5. It has been contended that the bail although was granted by the Coordinate Bench vide order dated 12.08.2025 passed in B.A. No.2299 of 2024 but the same was set aside by the Hon'ble Apex Court vide order dated 20.02.2025 passed in S.L.P. (Crl.) No.14309 of 2024.

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6. Subsequent thereto, another attempt was made by the present petitioner for release on bail by filing bail application, being B.A. No.2434 of 2026 but the same was dismissed as not pressed.

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7. So far as the issue of the present case is concerned, it has been contended that considering the gravity of crime committed by the petitioner, only to participate in the marriage of the sister, the present application may not be allowed.

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8. This Court has heard learned counsel for the parties.

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9. The present application although has been filed for grant of provision bail from 10.06.2026 to 25.06.2026 but being conscious of the fact that the provisional bail is to be allowed depending upon the exigency/urgency of the

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2026:JHHC:17553

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inmate who is languishing in judicial custody. The aforesaid purpose is required to be referred in the application but herein necessity has been referred, i.e., solemnization of the marriage of the sister.

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10. The question which has been considered by this Court is whether it will be proper for this Court to allow the present application to participate in the marriage of sister to perform certain rituals when the petitioner is alleged to be involved in such a serious nature of crime, i.e., murder of 08 year old boy, that too when the bail allowed by the Coordinate Bench of this Court has been set aside by the Hon'ble Apex Court in S.L.P. (Crl.) No.14309 of 2024 as also another application filed for regular bail has been withdrawn vide order dated 25.03.2026 passed in B.A. No.2434 of 2026.

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11. The performance of ritual in the marriage cannot be considered to be such an important necessity that the nature of crime alleged to be committed by the present petitioner is to be given go-bye.

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12. Herein, as per the allegation, an eight year old boy first had been kidnapped and subsequently found to be murdered and for the aforesaid crime the present case has been instituted.

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13. This Court, considering the nature of crime committed, as per the allegation, is of the view that to

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attend and participate in the rituals of marriage cannot be allowed to be prevailed, in the present case, by giving gobye to the nature of crime committed by the petitioner.

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14. This Court, considering the aforesaid facts, is of the view that the present application is to be dismissed.

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15. Accordingly, the instant application is dismissed.

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(Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.)

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Dated : 17^th June, 2026

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Birendra/

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