Allahabad High Court
X-Minor vs State Of U.P. And 3 Others on 14 July, 2023
Bench: Subhash Chandra Sharma
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Neutral Citation No. - 2023:AHC:140103
Court No. - 80
Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 3400 of 2022
Revisionist :- X-Minor
Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others
Counsel for Revisionist :- Radhey Shyam Yadav
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Subhash Chandra Sharma,J.
Heard learned counsel for the revisionist as well as learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the record.
The present criminal revision has been preferred by the revisionist through his mother with a prayer to allow this revision and set aside the judgment and order dated 18.07.2022 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge/ Special Judge (POCSO Act), Farrukhabad in Criminal Appeal No. 57 of 2022 as well as order dated 07.07.2022 passed by Juvenile Justice Board, Farrukhabad. Further prayed to release the revisionist on bail in Case Crime No. 68 of 2022 under Section 363, 366, 376 I.P.C. and Section 3/4 of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act, Police Station Kampil, District Farrukhabad.
It is submitted by learned counsel for the revisionist that in this case the delinquent was aged about 16 years and 10 months and is in Child Care Home since 06.04.2022. It is further submitted that victim was also aged about 16 years and went with the delinquent voluntarily. As per version in F.I.R. Rs. 1,50,000 /- and jewellery was also taken by her from her house. It shows that she was not compelled by the delinquent to leave her home but she was volunteer. It is further submitted that the statement of the victim has already been recorded before the learned court below in which she denied the fact of enticement by the present delinquent. Even during cross-examination made by public prosecutor nothing was brought as to show the complicity of the present delinquent in making enticement of the victim. It is further submitted that there is nothing adverse against the interest of the delinquent in the report submitted by D.P.O.
It is further submitted that the provisions as contained u/s 12 of the Juvenile Justice Act had not been considered by the Juvenile Justice Board even the report submitted by Probation Officer was also not considered. The appellate court has also not considered all these facts but rejected the appeal without applying its judicial mind and considering the law as contained u/s 12 of the aforesaid Act, therefore, requested to set aside orders passed by the J.J. Board as well as appellate court and allow the criminal revision.
Learned A.G.A. opposed the prayer as aforesaid.
Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, submission made by learned counsel for the revisionist, perusal of record, the provisions as contained u/s 12 of Juvenile Justice Act, the report submitted by the Probation Officer, it appears that Juvenile Justice Board as well as the appellate court had not considered the relevant provisions and the material on record in well manner but passed the orders without applying their judicial mind. In this way, there appears ground in this revision and the orders passed by the Juvenile Justice Board as well as learned appellate court are liable to be set aside.
Accordingly, the orders passed by Juvenile Justice Board dated 07.07.2022 and the appellate court dated 18.07.2022 are, hereby, set aside and present criminal revision is hereby, allowed.
It is directed that delinquent/applicant be released on bail on executing person bond by the revisionist ( mother of the delinquent) and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Juvenile Justice Board concerned on following conditions :-
(i) The revisionist/ mother will furnish an undertaking that upon release on bail the revisionist will not be permitted to go into contact or association with any known criminal or allowed to be exposed to any moral, physical, or psychological danger and further that the mother will ensure that the juvenile will not repeat the offence.
(ii) The revisionist/ mother will further furnish an undertaking to the effect that the juvenile will pursue his study at the appropriate level which he would be encouraged to do besides other constructive activities and not be allowed to waste his time in unproductive and excessive recreational pursuits.
(iii) Juvenile and the revisionist/ mother will report to the Probation Officer on the first Monday of every calendar month.
(iv) The Probation Officer will keep a strict vigil on the activities of the juvenile and regularly draw up his social investigation report that would be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board concerned on such a periodical basis as the Juvenile Justice Board may determine.
Order Date :- 14.7.2023
Suraj Srivastav
