Lokesh Kumar vs State Of U.P.
2021 Latest Caselaw 7995 ALL

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
 
 

?Court No. - 79
 

 
Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 21193 of 2021
 
Applicant :- Lokesh Kumar
 
Opposite Party :- State of U.P.
 
Counsel for Applicant :- Syed Ali Imam
 
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
 

 
Hon'ble Saurabh Shyam Shamshery,J.

1. Heard learned counsel for the applicant, learned A.G.A. and perused the record.

2. The applicant has approached this Court by way of filing the present Criminal Misc. Bail Application seeking enlargement on bail in Case Crime No.693 of 2018, under Section 306 IPC, Police Station - Jahangirabad, District - Bulandshahar after rejection of his Bail Application, vide order dated 21.10.2020 passed by Sessions Judge, Bulandshahar.

3. The informant - Anand lodged the First Information Report under Section 302 IPC on 4.10.2018 alleging that on 17.9.2018, when he returned from fields in the morning, he found his father Prem Pal Singh lying dead. His mother was missing. It is also alleged that his mother - Poonam co-accused had illicit relationship with applicant - Lokesh and due to this reason, there were fight between his father and his mother and on suspicion, name of the accused-applicant was mentioned in the First Information Report. During investigation, it was found that father of the informant committed suicide. During investigation, statements were recorded wherein it is alleged that due to illicit relationship of mother of informant and applicant, father of applicant committed suicide.

4. Learned counsel for the applicant submitted that cause of death was found to be asphyxia, due to ante-mortem hanging. The First Information Report was lodged after a lapse of couple of week wherein allegations were made of murder, however, during investigation, the prosecution story was changed and allegedly a case for abetment of suicide was made out. Applicant was never in illicit relationship with the wife of the deceased. Learned counsel further submitted that informant himself is a person of bad character. The applicant and deceased were running a dhaba in partnership, after death of deceased and the first informant pressurized the applicant to give share in the said dhaba and when it was not materialized, the entire story of murder was changed into case of abetment of suicide and applicant was named in the First Information Report. There is not a single evidence which even suggests that applicant has undertaken any overact or instigate the deceased to commit suicide. There is not even a prima facie case of abetment of suicide. It is lastly submitted that applicant is languishing in jail since 24.11.2019, there is no likelihood of early disposal of trial and the applicant undertakes that if he is enlarged on bail, he will never misuse his liberty, will not commit any offence during bail and will co-operate in the trial.

5. Learned A.G.A. has vehemently opposed the prayer of bail and submits that there is evidence on record that applicant and co-accused (wife of deceased) had illicit relationship, due to which, there were regular fight between the deceased and his wife, and also facing social dilemma, he committed suicide. Therefore, the bail application is liable to be rejected.

6. (A) Law on bail is well settled that 'Bail is rule and Jail is exception'. Bail should not be granted or rejected in a mechanical manner as it concerns liberty of a person. At the time of considering an application for bail, the Court must take into account certain factors such as existence of a prima facie case against the accused, gravity of the allegations, severity of punishment, position and status of the accused, likelihood of the accused fleeing from justice and repeating the offence, reasonable apprehension of tampering with the witnesses and obstructing the Courts as well as criminal antecedents of the accused.

(B) It is also well settled that the Court while considering an application for bail must not go into deep merits of the matter such as question of credibility and reliability of prosecution witnesses which can only be tested during the trial. Even ground of parity is one of the above mentioned aspects which are essentially required to be considered.

(C) It is also well settled that the grant or refusal of bail is entirely within the discretion of the judge hearing the matter and though that discretion is unfettered, it must be exercised judiciously and in a humane manner, compassionately and not in whimsical manner. The Court should record the reasons which have weighed with the count for the exercise of its discretionary power for an order granting or rejecting bail. Conditions for the grant of bail ought not to be so strict as to be incapable of compliance, thereby making the grant of bail illusory.

(D) The Court while granting bail in the case involving sexual offence against a woman should not mandate such bail conditions, which is/are against the mandate of "fair justice" to victim such as to make any form of compromise or marriage with the accused etc. and shall take into consideration the directions passed by Supreme Court in Aparna Bhat and others vs. State of Madhya Pradesh and another, reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 230, in this regard.

7. Considering the rival submission, material available on record, the period of detention already undergone, the unlikelihood of early conclusion of trial, absence of any convincing material to indicate the possibility of tampering with the evidence, relevant factors mentioned above, particularly that there is delay of about two weeks in lodging the First Information Report. Initial prosecution story was of murder of the deceased was taken u-turn and later on, story of abetment of suicide was made out. Prima facie, there is no evidence which suggests that applicant have committed any overact or instigated deceased to commit the suicide. Also taking note of the judgment passed by this Court, vide order dated 7.6.2021 in Criminal Misc. Bail Application No.20591 of 2021 and considering that there is no previous criminal history of the applicant and he is languishing in jail since 24.11.2019, this Court is of the view that a case of grant of bail is made out.

8. Let applicant - Lokesh Kumar be released on bail in the aforesaid case crime number on furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of Court concerned with the following conditions which are being imposed in the interest of justice:-

i) The applicant will not tamper with prosecution evidence and will not harm or harass the complainant in any manner whatsoever.

ii) The applicant will abide the orders of Court, will attend the Court on every date and will not delay the disposal of trial in any manner whatsoever.

iii) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the date fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in Court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the trial Court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law.

iv) The applicant will not misuse the liberty of bail in any manner whatsoever. In case, the applicant misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure his presence proclamation under section 82 Cr.P.C., may be issued and if applicant fails to appear before the Court on the date fixed in such proclamation, then, the Trial Court shall initiate proceedings against him, in accordance with law, under Section 174-A I.P.C.

v) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before Trial Court on dates fixed for (1) opening of the case, (2) framing of charge and (3) recording of statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C. If in the opinion of Trial Court absence of applicant is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for Trial Court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against him in accordance with law and Trial Court may proceed against him under Section 229-A IPC.

9. The identity, status and residential proof of sureties will be verified by Court concerned and in case of breach of any of the conditions mentioned above, Court concerned will be at liberty to cancel the bail and send the applicant to prison.

10. The bail application is allowed.

11. It is made clear that the observations made hereinabove are only for the purpose of adjudicating the present bail application.

12. The party shall file computer generated copy of such order downloaded from the official website of High Court Allahabad.

13. The computer generated copy of such order shall be self attested by the counsel of the party concerned.

14. It is expected from the trial court that trial of this case will be concluded expeditiously and while granting any adjournment, trial court will take note of the provisions of Section 309 Cr.P.C.

15. The concerned Court/Authority/Official shall verify the authenticity of such computerized copy of the order from the official website of High Court Allahabad and shall make a declaration of such verification in writing.

Order Date :- 15.7.2021

Rishabh

[Saurabh Shyam Shamshery, J.]