Sulochana Sahoo Vs State of Odisha — Bail and Remand | Orissa HC (2026)

Sulochana Sahoo Vs State of Odisha — Bail and Remand | Orissa HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Both BLAPLs allowed; each petitioner (Sulochana Sahoo and Umakanta Guru) admitted to bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.25,000/- with two solvent sureties each for the like amount, without any view expressed on merits; soft copy of the order to be communicated to the concerned Court and Jail.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioners (Sulochana Sahoo and Umakanta Guru), accused in Industrial Estate PS Case No.97 of 2026 / GR Case No.459 of 2026 (SDJM, Khordha) of offences punishable under BNS Ss.143(3)/144(2) r/w Sections 3/4/5/6/7 of the Immoral Traffic(Prevention Act), 1956, allegedly for facilitating the victim to indulge in sex trade, should be granted bail under S.483 BNSS.

Court's answer

Taking into account the nature and gravity of the alleged offences vis-a-vis the materials on record, the petitioners' pre-trial detention since 18.04.2026, substantial progress in investigation, the statement of the victim, other circumstances including the inherent right of the accused to be presumed innocent until proven guilty at trial, and the bail already granted to co-accused Nimain Charan Biswal in BLAPL No.4682 of 2026, this Court, without expressing any view on merits, admits each of the petitioners to bail.

Ratio / Principle

Both bail applications (BLAPL No.4880 of 2026 and BLAPL No.5264 of 2026) are allowed; each petitioner is released on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand) with two solvent sureties each for the like amount, to the satisfaction of the learned Court in seisin of the case, on such terms and conditions as it deems fit and proper.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bail granted — High Court of Orissa at Cuttack (G. Satapathy, Vacation Judge), oral order dated 09.06.2026, disposing together BLAPL No.4880 of 2026 (Sulochana Sahoo) and BLAPL No.5264 of 2026 (Umakanta Guru) filed U/S.483 BNSS arising out of Industrial Estate PS Case No.97 of 2026 corresponding to GR Case No.459 of 2026 pending before learned SDJM, Khordha, for offences punishable U/Ss.143(3)/144(2) of the BNS r/w Sections 3/4/5/6/7 of the Immoral Traffic(Prevention Act), 1956, on the main allegation of facilitating the victim to indulge in sex trade in the hotel of a co-accused in connivance with each other. With the petitioners in custody since 18.04.2026, substantial progress in investigation, regard to the statement of the victim, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty at trial, and the earlier grant of bail to co-accused Nimain Charan Biswal in BLAPL No.4682 of 2026, the Court, without expressing any view on merits, admitted each petitioner to bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand) with two solvent sureties each for the like amount, on such terms and conditions as the Court in seisin deems fit and proper.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK Sulochana Sahoo (In BLAPL No.4880 of 2026) Umakanta Guru (In BLAPL No.5264 of 2026)

… Petitioners

Mr. A.S. Paul, Advocate

-versus-

State of Orissa … Opposite Party Mr. C. Mahanty, Addl. PP

CORAM: JUSTICE G. SATAPATHY

Order No.

01.

ORDER(ORAL):09.06.2026

Since these two bail applications arise out of one and same case record, the same are heard together and disposed of by this common order with the consent of the learned counsel for the parties.

These are the bail applications U/S.483 of BNSS by the petitioners for grant of bail in connection with Industrial Estate PS Case No.97 of 2026 corresponding to GR Case No.459 of 2026 pending in the file of learned SDJM, Khordha for commission of offences punishable U/Ss. 143(3)/144(2) of the BNS r/w Sections 3/4/5/6/7 of the Immoral Traffic(Prevention Act), 1956, on the main allegation of facilitating the victim to indulge in sex trade in the hotel of co-accused in connivance with each other. 3. Heard, Mr. Amlan Shakti Paul, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. C. Mahanty, learned Additional Public Prosecutor in these matters and perused the record. 4. After having considered the rival submissions and taking into consideration the nature and gravity of the offences as alleged against the petitioners vis-à-vis the

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materials placed on record and regard being had to the pre-trial detention of the petitioners in custody since 18.04.2026 with substantial progress in investigation and keeping in view the statement of the victim and taking into account the other circumstances on record in entirety including the inherent right of the accused to be presumed innocent until proven guilty at the trial and the grant of bail to co-accused Nimain Charan Biswal in BLAPL No. 4682 of 2026, this Court without expressing any view on merits, admits each of the petitioners to bail.

Hence, these two bail applications of the petitioners namely Sulochana Sahoo(In BLAPL No.4880 of 2026) and Umakanta Guru (In BLAPL No.5264 of 2026) are allowed and each of the petitioners is allowed to go on bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand) with two solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the learned Court in seisin of the case on such terms and conditions as deem fit and proper by it.

Accordingly, these BLAPLs stand disposed of. A soft copy of this order be immediately communicated to the concerned Court, who shall afterwards communicate the same to the concerned Jail through e-mail for reference.

Signature Not Verified

(G. Satapathy) Vacation Judge

Digitally Signed Signed by: PRIYAJIT SAHOO Reason: Authentication Location: HIGH COURT OF ORI Priyajit SSA Date: 09-Jun-2026 22:43:04

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