Allahabad High Court
Narayan vs State Of U.P. on 23 August, 2022
Bench: Manish Mathur
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Court No. - 70
Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 35671 of 2022
Applicant :- Narayan
Opposite Party :- State of U.P.
Counsel for Applicant :- Dr. Arun Srivastav
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Manish Mathur,J.
1. Heard learned counsel for applicant and learned Additional Government Advocate appearing on behalf of State.
2. This first bail application has been filed with regard to Case Crime No.747 of 2021, under Sections 420,406,467,468,471,504 and 506 IPC, registered at Police Station Izzat Nagar, District Bareilly.
3. Learned counsel for applicant submits that the applicant is not named in the first information report which in fact is against his brother Ravindra Kumar @ Ravindra. It is submitted that a bare perusal of the FIR will indicate that there is no allegation against the applicant with regard to sections allegedly involved in the matter. It is further submitted that the only allegation in the FIR against the accused-applicant is that of having executed a power of attorney in favour of Ravindra Kumar. As such, it is submitted that contents of FIR do not make out a case against the applicant with regard to the sections allegedly involved.
4. Learned Additional Government Advocate appearing on behalf of State has opposed the bail application with the submission that the property sought to be sold to the complainant in fact belonged to the State Government and therefore a wrongful inducement has been made as narrated in the FIR.
5. Considering submissions advanced by learned counsel for parties and upon perusal of material available on record, it transpires that the main gist of allegations in the FIR have been levelled against the Ravindra Kumar @ Ravindra. The only allegation against the applicant at this stage and subject to further investigation and evidence being led is only of having executed a power of attorney in favour of the said Ravindra Kumar. There is no statement of any wrongful inducement against the applicant.
6. Hon'ble the Supreme Court in Sanjay Chandra v. Central Bureau of Investigation, reported in (2012) 1 SCC 40 has specifically held that bail is to be a norm and an under-trial is not required to be in jail for ever pending trial. Relevant paragraphs of the judgment are as under :-
"21. In bail applications, generally, it has been laid down from the earliest times that the object of bail is to secure the appearance of the accused person at his trial by reasonable amount of bail. The object of bail is neither punitive nor preventative. Deprivation of liberty must be considered a punishment, unless it is required to ensure that an accused person will stand his trial when called upon. The courts owe more than verbal respect to the principle that punishment begins after conviction, and that every man is deemed to be innocent until duly tried and duly found guilty."
"27. This Court, time and again, has stated that bail is the rule and committal to jail an exception. It has also observed that refusal of bail is a restriction on the personal liberty of the individual guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution."
7. Looking to the nature of allegations levelled against the applicant and submission made in the bail application, without expressing any opinion on the merits of case and considering the nature of accusation and the severity of punishment in case of conviction and the nature of supporting evidence, particularly since no reasonable apprehension of tampering with the witnesses has been alleged, prima facie, this Court finds, the applicant is entitled to be released on bail in this case.
8. Accordingly bail application is allowed.
9. Let applicant, Narayan, involved in the aforesaid case crime be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions which are being imposed in the interest of justice:-
(i) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the dates 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.
(ii) The applicant shall remain present before the trial court on each date fixed, either personally or through his counsel. In case of his absence, without sufficient cause, the trial court may proceed against him under Section 229-A of the Indian Penal Code.
(iii) 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. is issued and the 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 of the Indian Penal Code.
(iv) The applicant shall remain present, in person, before the trial court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C. If in the opinion of the trial court, absence of the applicant is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the trial court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against him in accordance with law.
Order Date :- 23.8.2022
Subodh/-
