Disposed¶46

Bijay Kumar Prajapati v. the State of Jharkhand through the Director General of Police

Jharkhand HC10 Mar 2026W.P.(Cr.)/91/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi; W. P. (Cr.) No. 91 of 2025; decided 10.03.2026 by Gautam Kumar Choudhary, J.; speedy investigation; constitutional mandate for timely probe; direction to O/C Katkamdag Police Station to conclude investigation within three months; FIR Katkamdag PS Case No. 66/2022 under Ss. 406, 420, 120-B IPC; land double-sale fraud at Hazaribagh (sale to petitioner 13.05.2015; sale to Deepak and Manoj Pandey 18.06.2024); accused deceased (19.06.2018, 21.03.2020) and juvenile accused; writ petition disposed.

What did the court decide?

Direction to Respondent No. 10 (Officer in Charge, Katkamdag Police Station) to conclude the investigation within three months; copy of the order to be communicated to Respondent Nos. 5 and 7 for immediate compliance. ¶46

Bijay Kumar Prajapati Vs the State of Jharkhand… — Cheating and Forgery | Jharkhand HC (2026)

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2026:JHHC:6289

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI W. P. (Cr.) No. 91 of 2025

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Bijay Kumar Prajapati, S/o Bandhu Prajapati, R/o Village- Pakri, Barwadih, PO- Barkagaon, PS- Barkagaon, District- Hazaribagh.

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.... .. ... Petitioner(s)

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Versus

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The State of Jharkhand through the Director General of Police, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi having its office at Police Headquarter, PO- Dhurwa, PS- Jagar nathpur, District- Ranchi.

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The Principal Secretary, Department of Home, Prison and Disaster Management, State of Jharkhand at T.A Division Building Near Gol Chakkar, Dhurwa, PO-Dhurwa P.S- Jagarnathpur, District- Ranchi.

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The Principal Secretary, Land Reforms and Revenue Department, Government of Jharkhand at Project Building, Dhurwa, PO: Dhurwa, PS: Jaganathpur, Dist-Ranchi, State-Jharkhand

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The Commissioner, North Chhotanagpur, at Hazaribagh, Ρ.Ο.: Hazaribagh, P.S.: Sadar, District- Hazaribagh

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The Deputy Commissioner, Hazaribagh P.O.: Hazaribagh, P.S.: Sadar, District- Hazaribagh

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The Land Reforms Deputy Collector, Hazaribagh P.O.: Hazaribagh, P.S.: Sadar, District- Hazaribagh

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The Superintendent of Police, Hazaribagh P.O.: Hazaribagh, P.S.: Sadar, District- Hazaribagh.

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The District Registrar/Sub-Registrar, Land Reforms Revenue Department, Government of Jharkhand at P.O.: Hazaribagh, P.S.: Sadar, District- Hazaribagh

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The Circle Officer, Katkamdag Circle Office, Katkamdag at P.O. & P.S.Katkamdag, District- Hazaribagh, State: Jharkhand

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10.The Officer in Charge, Katkamdag Police Station, Katkamdag at P.O. & P.S.-Katkamdag, District- Hazaribagh, State: Jharkhand.

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11.Kanhaiya Ram the then Officer-in-Charge cum Investigating Officer Katkamdag Police Station, Katkamdag at P.O. & P.S.-Katkamdag, State: Jharkhand. (having Mo. District-Hazaribagh, No.6204838016)

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12.Shashikant Mishra son of Sachchidanand Mishra (having Mo. No.8539013416, 7033834382)

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13.Gajendra Mishra son of Sachchidanad Mishra

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14.Gayatri Devi wife of Gajendra Mishra

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15.Gaurav Kumar Mishra son of Gajendra Mishra (having Mo. No.6207999679)

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16.Suryakant Mishra son of Srikant Mishra (having Mo. No.6203871195, 8092197211)

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17.Geeta Devi wife of late Srikant Mishra (having Mo. No.8092024055)

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18.Basanti Devi wife of late Ravikant Mishra (having Mo. No.7260899977)

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19.Satish Mishra son of late Ravikant Mishra (having Mo. No.9955653105, 943078305)

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20.Kanti Devi wife of Shashikant Mishra (having Mo. No.7033834382)

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2026:JHHC:6289

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21.Rishikant Mishra son of Shashikant Mishra (having Mo. No.8539013416).

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22.Tinku Mishra No. 7324895055) son of Shashikant Mishra (having Mo.

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Respondent no.12 to 22 are R/o: Village Sirsi, PO: Sultana, PSKatkamdag, Dist-Hazaribagh, State of Jharkhand

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23.Pankaj Snehi son of late Satyadeo R/o: Vill+PO+PS-Barabazar, DistHazaribagh State of Jharkhand-825301 (having Mo. No.8102929059, 9835909162)

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24.Pramod Prajapati son of Mahadeo Prajapati Vill+PO-Begwari PSKeredari, Dist- Hazaribagh State of Jharkhand-825311 (having Mo. No.7677114829)

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25.Kailash Prajapati son of Chhedi Prajapati Vill+PO-Begwari PS-Keredari, Dist- Hazaribagh State of Jharkhand-825311 (having Mo. No. 7004050540). .. ... ...Respondent(s)

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CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE GAUTAM KUMAR CHOUDHARY

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For the Petitioner (s) : Mr. Ranjan Kumar, Advocate For the State : Mrs. Moushmi Chatterjee, AC to GA.V

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04/ 10.03.2026 . Heard, learned counsel for the parties.

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1. Petitioner is the informant of Katkamdag (Hazaribagh) P. S. Case No.66 of 2022 registered under Sections 406, 420, 120-B IPC which has been lodged against Suryakant Mishra, Shashikant Mishra and Gajendra Mishra.

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2. The case of the informant, in brief, is that the accused persons by making a false representation had sold the land to him on 13.05.2015 and the same had earlier been sold by all the three accused persons, namely, Suryakant Mishra, Shashikant Mishra and Gajendra Mishra to Deepak Pandey and Manoj Pandey on 18.06.2024.

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3. It is submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that more than three years have elapsed, but neither the investigation has been concluded nor any effective steps has been taken by the investigating officer in collusion with the accused persons.

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4. Counter-affidavit has been filed on behalf of the Resp. nos.7 & 10 sworn by Addl. S. P. (H), Hazaribagh on 27.08.2025 wherein it has been stated at para-10 that two accused persons had already died on 19.06.2018 and 21.03.2020.

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5. It has also come in Para-16 of the Counter-affidavit that accused, Suryakant Mishra was juvenile at the time of alleged offence.

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2026:JHHC:6289

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6. Be that as it may, there is constitutional mandate for speedy investigation, enquiry and trial, and the investigation cannot be kept endlessly pending, that too without any sufficient reason.

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7. Respondent -10 [The Officer in Charge, Katkamdag Police Station, Katkamdag at P.O. & P.S.-Katkamdag, District- Hazaribagh, State: Jharkhand] is directed to conclude the investigation within three months from today.

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8. Accordingly, the instant Writ Petition (Crl.) stands disposed of. Let a copy of this order be communicated to the Respondent

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Nos.5 and 7 for its compliance at once.

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( Gautam Kumar Choudhary, J. )

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Sandeep/

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Uploaded

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