Allahabad High Court
Prashant Kumar vs State Of U.P. And 3 Others on 26 July, 2023
Bench: Ajay Bhanot
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Neutral Citation No. - 2023:AHC:149667
Court No. - 66
Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 32658 of 2023
Applicant :- Prashant Kumar
Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others
Counsel for Applicant :- Rahul Mehrotra
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Ajay Bhanot,J.
Ms. Sujata Choudhary, learned A.G.A. for the State contends that the police authorities in compliance of the directions issued by this Court in Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 46998 of 2020 (Junaid Vs State of U.P. and another) reported at 2021 (6) ADJ 511 and with a view to implement the provisions of POCSO Act, 2012 read with POCSO Rules, 2020, have served notices of the bail application upon the the victim as well as the CWC.
By means of the the bail application the applicant has prayed to be enlarged on bail in Case Crime No. 46 of 2023 at Police Station- Malawan, District- Etah, under Sections 363, 366, 376-D, 506, 120-B IPC, Section 5(g)/6 POCSO Act. The applicant is in jail since 28.06.2023.
The bail application of the applicant was rejected by the learned trial court on 17.07.2023.
The following arguments made by Shri Rahul Mehrotra, learned counsel on behalf of the applicant,which could not be satisfactorily refuted by Ms. Sujata Choudhary, learned AGA from the record, entitle the applicant for grant of bail:
(1). The applicant has contested the minority of the victim as stated in the prosecution case.
(2). The victim was wrongly shown as a minor of 17 years in the F.I.R. only to falsely implicate the applicant under the stringent provisions of the POCSO Act and cause his imprisonment.
(3). The age of the victim is assailed on the following grounds in light of the judgment rendered by this Court in Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 55026 of 2021 (Monish Vs State of U.P. and others).
(i). The age of the victim was incorrectly entered by her parents in the school records only to give her an advantage in life. School records depicting age of the victim as 17 years are unreliable.
(ii) The victim under in her statements under Sections 161 Cr.P.C. and 164 Cr.P.C. has stated that she is 17 years of age.
(iii). Medico-legal examination (not the age determination test) records that the victim is 17 years of age.
(iv) No medical examination to determine the correct age of the victim as per the latest scientific criteria and medical protocol by eminent doctors from a reputed institution was got done by the prosecution as it would establish the majority of the victim and falsify the prosecution case. The victim is in fact a major.
4. The applicant and the victim were intimate.
5. The FIR is a result of parental opposition of the victim's family to the said relationship.
6. The statement of the victim under Section 164 Cr.P.C. is contradictory. Firstly she has stated that the applicant committed rape with her and thereafter in the same breath she has asserted that the applicant did not commit rape with her.
7. Major inconsistencies in the statements of the victim under Sections 161 Cr.P.C. and Section 164 Cr.P.C. as well as the recitals in the F.I.R. discredit the prosecution case.
8. Criminal proceedings were lodged at the behest of her parents only to deflect attention from the conduct of the victim and to save the failing prosecution.
9. Medical evidence to corroborate the commission of rape by the applicant with the victim has been produced by the prosecution.
10. The applicant does not have any criminal history apart from this case.
11. The applicant is not a flight risk. The applicant being a law abiding citizen has always cooperated with the investigation and undertakes to join the trial proceedings. There is no possibility of his influencing witnesses, tampering with the evidence or reoffending.
In the light of the preceding discussion and without making any observations on the merits of the case, the bail application is allowed.
Let the applicant- Prashant 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 the court below. The following conditions be imposed in the interest of justice:-
(i) The applicant will not tamper with the evidence or influence any witness during the trial.
(ii) The applicant will appear before the trial court on the date fixed, unless personal presence is exempted.
Order Date :- 26.7.2023
Dhananjai
