Allahabad High Court
Mr. X- Juvenile vs State Of U.P. And 3 Others on 3 October, 2023
Bench: Subhash Chandra Sharma
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Neutral Citation No. - 2023:AHC:189817
Court No. - 80
Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 1427 of 2023
Revisionist :- Mr. X- Juvenile
Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others
Counsel for Revisionist :- Sheetala Prasad Pandey
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Subhash Chandra Sharma,J.
Heard Sri Digambar Diwedi holding brief Sri Sheetala Prasad Pandey 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 father with a prayer to allow this revision and set aside the judgment and order dated 16.02.2023 passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge/ Special Judge (POCSO Act), Sant Kabir Nagar in Criminal Appeal No. 4 of 2023 as well as order dated 11.01.2023 passed by Juvenile Justice Board, Sant Kabir Nagar. Further prayed to release the revisionist on bail in Case Crime No. 205 of 2022 under Section 363, 376D, 506 I.P.C. & 5/6 of POCSO Act, Police Station Bahkira, District Sant Kabir Nagar.
It is submitted by learned counsel for the revisionist that in this case the delinquent was aged about 14 years at the time of alleged incident. It is further submitted that as per allegation in F.I.R. occurrence is said to have taken place on 16.06.2022 when the victim is said to have been taken by the revisionist with another co-accused person in her house and she return her home on 28.06.2022. Subsequently on 18.07.2022 an application under Section 156 (3) Cr.P.C. was moved before the learned Magistrate by filing F.I.R. The allegations as made in the F.I.R. are not reliable but concocted. It is further submitted that the story which was narrated by the victim herself before the learned Magistrate under Section 164 Cr.P.C. also does not inspire confidence. During medical examination no any injury was found on the person of the victim to show that rape was committed with her either by the revisionist or by other person. 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. He is in Child Care Home since 19.09.2022 i.e. more than one year and his psychology is being affected adversely, 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 as well as learned A.G.A. for the State, 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 11.01.2023 and the appellate court dated 16.02.2023 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 ( father 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/ father 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 father will ensure that the juvenile will not repeat the offence.
(ii) The revisionist/ father 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/ father 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 :- 3.10.2023
Suraj Srivastav
