Allowed

Anand Mandal v. the State of Jharkhand

Jharkhand HC15 Sept 2026Cr.A(DB)/1098/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

This criminal appeal challenged the rejection of anticipatory bail. The High Court found the case relied on a solitary confessional statement without corroborative material. It allowed the appeal, directed surrender, and granted bail.

What did the court decide?

Impugned order setting aside; appellant directed to surrender within four weeks; release on bail uppon furnishing bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties.

Anand Mandal Vs the State of Jharkhand — Narcotics (NDPS) | Jharkhand HC (2026)

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Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:27765-DB

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Cr. Appeal (DB) No. 1098 of 2026

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Anand Mandal, S/o Late Sudhir Mandal, R/o Vill- Tapuwa Jamnighat, P.O. & P.S.- Rajmahal, Dist.- Sahibganj.

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----Appellant

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Versus The State of Jharkhand --- --- Respondent

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RONGON MUKHOPADHYAY HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR RAI

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For the Appellant : Mr. Sudhanshu Shekhar Choudhary, Adv. For the State : A.P.P.

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06/15.09.2026 Heard Mr. S.S. Choudhary, learned counsel for the appellant and learned A.P.P.

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2. This appeal is directed against the order dated 01.08.2026 passed by the learned Addl. Sessions Judge-I, Rajmahal in A.B.P. No. 402/2026 arising out of Rajmahal P.S. Case No. 229 of 2026, whereby and whereunder, the prayer for anticipatory bail of the appellant has been rejected.

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3. It has been alleged that in course of patrolling duty, the informant had received an information that Santosh Mandal was having counterfeit notes of Rs. 200 denomination and on verification, the said Santosh Mandal was apprehended and on a search conducted on his person, 14 fake notes of Rs. 200 denominations were recovered. It has been alleged that Santosh Mandal had confessed that the counterfeit notes were supplied to him by Anand Mandal (appellant).

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4. It has been submitted by Mr. S.S. Choudhary, learned counsel for the appellant that the only incriminating circumstance against the appellant is the confessional

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Page 1 of 3

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Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:27765-DB

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statement of the apprehended accused Santosh Mandal. The appellant is the Up-Pramukh of his village who was involved in getting compensation for the victim in a case of road accident in which the Officer-in-Charge of Rajmahal P.S. was suspended and as a retaliatory measure, the appellant has been roped in a false case. It has been submitted that a search was conducted in the house of the appellant, but no recovery was effected.

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5. Learned A.P.P. has submitted that in course of investigation sufficient materials have been collected indicating the involvement of the appellant in dealing with the counterfeit notes.

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6. In the Case Diary at paragraphs 3, 4 and 5, the statements of the members of the raiding party have been recorded and they have basically reiterated what has been stated by the informant. The confessional statement of Santosh Mandal has been recorded at para 7 of the Case Diary. The only incriminating circumstance against the appellant is the confessional statement of Santosh Mandal and the entire Case Diary does not whisper about any other material which can strengthen the allegation against the appellant.

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7. In view of the above, we while setting aside the impugned order 01.08.2026 passed by the learned Addl. Sessions Judge-I, Rajmahal in A.B.P. No. 402/2026 arising out of Rajmahal P.S. Case No. 229 of 2026 direct the appellant to surrender before the learned trial court within a period of 04 weeks and on his surrender, he shall be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs.10,000/- (Ten thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate,

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Page 2 of 3

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Neutral Citation 2026:JHHC:27765-DB

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Rajmahal in connection with Rajmahal P.S. Case No. 229/2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

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8. This appeal is allowed.

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( Rongon Mukhopadhyay, J.)

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(Arun Kumar Rai, J.)

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Dated- 15^th September, 2026. Preet/Uploaded on: 15 /09 /2026.

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Anand Mandal v. the State of Jharkhand

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Anand Mandal v. the State of Jharkhand

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