Allahabad High Court
X- Juvenile vs State Of U.P. And 3 Others on 12 October, 2023
Bench: Subhash Chandra Sharma
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Neutral Citation No. - 2023:AHC:197470
Court No. - 80
Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 4905 of 2022
Revisionist :- X- Juvenile
Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others
Counsel for Revisionist :- Subhash Chand
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.,Rakesh Kumar Tiwari
Hon'ble Subhash Chandra Sharma,J.
Rejoinder affidavit filed today by learned counsel for the revisionist is taken on record.
List revised. None appeared on behalf of opposite party no. 2.
Heard learned counsel for revisionist, learned A.G.A. for State and perused the record.
The present criminal revision has been preferred by the revisionist through his father under Section 102 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act-2015 (hereinafter referred to as "J.J. Act, 2015) to allow the present revision and set aside the judgment and order dated 20.10.2022 passed by learned Additional District & Sessions Judge (POCSO Act), Court No. 1, Aligarh in Criminal Appeal No. 102 of 2022 as well as order dated 22.7.2022 passed by Juvenile Justice Board, Aligarh. Further prayed to stay the operation of the aforesaid orders and to release the revisionist on bail in Case Crime No. 46 of 2022, under Sections 377, 506 IPC & Section 5/6 POCSO Act, Police Station Lodha, District Aligarh.
It is submitted by learned counsel for the revisionist that in this case, the delinquent was juvenile aged about 14 years and 10 months at the time of alleged offence. Further submitted that as per allegation in the F.I.R. the revisionist committed sodomy with the victim who was tender age. There is no material on record to show that the revisionist committed sodomy with the victim. It is also submitted that it has been mentioned in the F.I.R. that informant and her devar were also working in the field from where the revisionist took away the child in other field and committed sodomy and this incident was told to the informant when the child came back to the house, this story does not inspire confidence regarding taking away the child and committing sodomy from the filed where the informant and her devar were working. The injury found on the person of the victim was caused some where else but on account of village rivalry, present F.I.R. was lodged against him. It is next submitted that there is nothing on record to show the complicity of present delinquent. There is nothing adverse to the present delinquent in the report as submitted by the District Probation Officer. The provisions as contained under Section 12 of the Juvenile Justice Act had not been considered by the Juvenile Justice Board as well as appellate court while rejecting the appeal which cannot be said to be in conformity with the law. The delinquent is in Juvenile Care Home since 27.3.2022 i.e. more than one and half year and his psychology is being affected adversely, therefore, requested to set aside the order passed by the J.J. Board as well as appellate court and allow the criminal revision.
Learned A.G.A. opposed the aforesaid prayer.
Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, submissions made by learned counsel for the revisionist as well as learned A.G.A., perusal of record, the period of delinquent remained in jail the provisions as contained u/s 12 Juvenile Justice Act and report submitted by the D.P.O. it appears that J.J. 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 22.7.2022 and the appellate court dated 20.10.2022 are, hereby, set aside and present Criminal Revision is hereby, allowed.
It is directed that delinquent/applicant be released on bail on executing personal 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 :- 12.10.2023
A. Singh
