Partly allowed¶28

Purna Chandra Singh @ Mina Singh v. State of Odisha

Orissa HC19 May 2026ABLAPL/3997/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

anticipatory bail; pre-arrest bail; ABLAPL; POCSO Act Section 12; BNS Sections 126(2) 296 115(2) 74 303(2) 351(2) 3(5); 183 statement of victim; history-sheeter; criminal antecedents; false implication; lady accused; surrender within three weeks; C.T. (Spl.) Case No. 34 of 2026; Badachana P.S. Case No.96 of 2026; Jajpur; Special Court under POCSO Act; High Court of Orissa at Cuttack; V. Narasingh, J.

What did the court decide?

Application rejected for Petitioner Nos. 1 to 4; for Petitioner Nos. 5 to 7 (ladies, with the role ascribed to them): release on bail upon surrendering within three weeks and moving for bail, by the learned Court in seisin on terms deemed just and proper, subject to cooperation with the ongoing investigation; ABLAPL accordingly disposed of. ¶28

Purna Chandra Singh @ Mina Singh Vs State of… — Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) | Orissa HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the Petitioners should be granted pre-arrest bail in connection with C.T. (Spl.) Case No. 34 of 2026, arising out of Badachana P.S. Case No.96 of 2026, for offences under Sections 126(2)/296/115(2)/74/303(2)/351(2)/3(5) of BNS read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act.

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Court's answer

Having perused the 183 statement of the victim, the Court was not inclined to entertain the application for pre-arrest bail in respect of Petitioner Nos. 1 to 4 (Purna Chandra Singh @ Mina Singh, Laxmi Kanta Singh, Pradip Singh @ Pradeep Singh and Himansu Singh @ Himansu Sekhar Singh).

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Ratio / Principle

The ABLAPL stands rejected in respect of Petitioner Nos. 1 to 4.

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Key takeaways

In respect of Petitioner Nos. 5 to 7 (Krapura Singh @ Kapura Singh, Mandakini Singh @ Rina and Laxmipriya Singh), taking into account that they are ladies and the role ascribed to them, it is directed that on surrendering within three weeks hence and moving for bail, they shall be released on bail by the learned Court in seisin on such terms as deemed just and proper.ratio¶28
Petitioner Nos. 5 to 7 shall cooperate with the ongoing investigation.ratio¶29

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Pre-arrest bail (ABLAPL No. 3997 of 2026), High Court of Orissa at Cuttack, V. Narasingh, J., order dated 19.05.2026, in respect of seven petitioners facing charges under Sections 126(2)/296/115(2)/74/303(2)/351(2)/3(5) of BNS read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act in C.T. (Spl.) Case No. 34 of 2026 (Badachana P.S. Case No.96 of 2026), Jajpur: having perused the 183 statement of the victim, the Court rejected pre-arrest bail for Petitioner Nos. 1 to 4 (State counsel had submitted, on instructions, that Petitioner No.1 is a history-sheeter with eight criminal antecedents); Petitioner Nos. 5 to 7, being ladies and given the role ascribed to them, were directed to surrender within three weeks and, on moving for bail, to be released on bail by the learned Court in seisin on such terms as deemed just and proper, cooperating with the ongoing investigation; ABLAPL disposed of accordingly.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK ABLAPL No. 3997 of 2026

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1. Purna Chandra Singh @ Mina Singh …. Petitioners

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2. Laxmi Kanta Singh

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3. Pradip Singh @ Pradeep Singh

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4. Himansu Singh @ Himansu Sekhar Singh

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5. Krapura Singh @ Kapura Singh

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6. Mandakini Singh @ Rina

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7. Laxmipriya Singh

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Mr. S. Dash, Advocate

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-versus-

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1.State of Odisha 2.Informant

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…. Opposite Parties

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Mr. P.K. Ray, AGA

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Mr. S. Ghosh, Advocate (For Informant)

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CORAM: JUSTICE V. NARASINGH ORDER

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19.05.2026

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Order No.

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02. 1. Heard learned counsel for the Petitioners and learned counsel for the State as well as the Informant.

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The Petitioners are seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with C.T. (Spl.) Case No. 34 of 2026 pending on the file of learned Additional District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Court under POCSO Act,

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Page 1 of 3

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Jajpur, arising out of Badachana P.S. Case No.96 of 2026, for commission of offences punishable under Sections 126(2)/ 296/ 115(2)/ 74/ 303(2)/ 351(2)/ 3(5) of BNS read with Section 12 of the POCSO Act.

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It is submitted by the learned Counsel for the Petitioners that because of dispute inter se between the parties, the Petitioners have been falsely implicated in the case at hand. Hence, they may be protected by pre-arrest bail.

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Learned Counsel for the State as well as the Informant oppose the prayer for pre-arrest bail. 5. On instructions, learned Counsel for the State submits that the Petitioner No.1 is a history-sheeter with eight (8) numbers of criminal antecedents. 6. This Court perused the 183 statement of the victim.

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Considering the same, this Court is not inclined to entertain this application for pre-arrest bail for Petitioner Nos.1 to 4 (Purna Chandra Singh@Mina Singh, Laxmi Kanta Singh, Pradip Singh@Pradeep Singh and Himansu Singh@Himansu Sekhar Singh respectively).

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Accordingly, the ABLAPL in respect of said Petitioners, stands rejected.

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So far as the ABLAPL in respect of the Petitioner Nos. 5 to 7 (Krapura Singh @ Kapura

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Page 2 of 3

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Singh, Mandakini Singh@Rina and Laxmipriya Singh respectively) is concerned, taking into account that the said Petitioners are ladies and the role ascribed to them, it is directed that on surrendering within three weeks hence and moving for bail, the Petitioner Nos.5 to 7 shall be released on bail by the learned Court in seisin on such terms as deemed just and proper. 10. It is needless to state that the said Petitioners

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shall cooperate with the ongoing investigation. 11. Accordingly, the ABLAPL stands disposed of.

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(V. NARASINGH) Judge

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Mili

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Signature Not Verified

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Digitally Signed Signed by: MILI MAHARANA Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa Date: 20-May-2026 20:22:53

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Purna Chandra Singh @ Mina Singh v. State of Odisha

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Purna Chandra Singh @ Mina Singh v. State of Odisha

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

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Parties & counsel

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