Allahabad High Court
Kavita vs State Of U.P. on 2 April, 2025
Author: Vivek Varma
Bench: Vivek Varma
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:45120
Court No. - 69
Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION U/S 482 BNSS No. - 1591 of 2025
Applicant :- Kavita
Opposite Party :- State of U.P.
Counsel for Applicant :- Mahendra Kumar Singh Chauhan
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Vivek Varma,J.
1. Heard counsel for the applicant, Sri Neeraj Kumar Sharma, learned AGA for the State and perused the material available on record.
2. The present application has been filed with the prayer to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant in Criminal Case No. 627 of 2025, arising out of Case Crime No. 112 of 2024, under Sections 420, 408 of I.P.C., Police Station- Heempur Deepa, District- Bijnor.
3. Counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant has been falsely implicated in the present case. The husband of the applicant had not received wages simultaneously as a Conductor in UPSRTC as well as a labour in the MGNREGA scheme at Bijnor. In the first information report as well as from the material collected during the course of investigation, no offence is made out against the applicant. Further, during the course of investigation, the applicant was granted benefit of Section 41A of Cr.P.C. Investigation has been completed. Charge-sheet has been filed. The applicant had cooperated in the investigation. No custodial interrogation is required. The applicant has been summoned by the concerned court. Counsel for applicant further contends that the maximum sentence provided for the alleged offences is upto seven years. He submits that in view of the judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Satender Kumar Antil Vs. Central Bureau of Investigation and another, (2021) 10 SCC 773, the applicant is entitled to be enlarged on anticipatory bail. The applicant is a lady and has no criminal antecedents. The applicant has apprehension of her arrest in the above mentioned case. In case, the applicant is released on anticipatory bail, she will not misuse the said liberty.
4. Learned A.G.A. for the State could not dispute the fact that the offences against the applicant are punishable upto seven years. He does not dispute the law laid down by Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Satender Kumar Antil (supra). He has not placed any criminal antecedents of the applicant.
5. The Supreme Court in the case of Satender Kumar Antil (supra) has laid down the guidelines with regard to enlargement of an accused on bail. The guidelines provided category/type of offences. One of the category being Category-A are offences punishable with imprisonment of seven years or less. The Supreme Court in paragraph-3 of the aforesaid judgment has laid down the guidelines that after the filing of the charge sheet/cognizance ordinary the summons are required to be issued permitting the appearance of the accused through Lawyer and the bail applications of the accused persons on appearance are to be decided without the accused being taken into custody or by granting interim bail. A perusal of the aforesaid guidelines would demonstrate that the liberty of an individual has been recognized by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the aforesaid judgment in term of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
6. It is further to be noted that as per Section 41 of the Code of Criminal Procedure also during investigation the liberty of an individual is protected in respect of an offence where the maximum punishment provided is upto seven years.
7. It is not the case of the opposite party that applicant was arrested for the alleged offences during investigation and it is also not the case of the opposite party that the applicant had not co-operated in the investigation. Once no apprehension has been raised with regard to the conduct of the applicant and the applicant has been charge-sheeted and summoned in respect of offence in which punishment provided is upto seven years, then in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court in Satender Kumar Antil (supra), the liberty of the individual is required to be protected.
8. It is not shown by learned AGA that the nature and gravity of allegations are such that the same would dis-entitle the applicant for relief of anticipatory bail. No material, facts, circumstances or concern been shown by learned AGA for the State that the accused may tamper with the evidence or witnesses or accused is of such character that her mere presence at large would intimidate the witnesses or that accused will use her liberty to subvert justice or tamper with the evidence.
9. It is settled principle of law that the object of bail is to secure the attendance of the accused. No material particulars or circumstances suggestive of the applicant fleeing from justice or thwarting the course of justice or creating other troubles in the shape of repeating offences or intimidating witnesses and the like have been shown by learned AGA for the State.
10. Having regard to the submissions made by counsel for the applicant, considering the nature of accusations, antecedents of the applicant and the fact that during the course of investigation, the applicant was granted benefit of Section 41A of Cr.P.C., the fact that the offences against the applicant are punishable up to seven years and adhering to the guidelines provided in the judgment of the Supreme Court in Satender Kumar Antil (supra),. Charge-sheet has been filed. The applicant had cooperated in the investigation and no custodial interrogation is required.without commenting on merits of the case, I am of the opinion that the applicant is entitled to be enlarged on anticipatory bail.
11. In the event of arrest, the applicant Kavita be released on anticipatory bail during pendency of trial, on furnishing a personal bond of Rs. 50,000/- with two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned with the following conditions:-
(i) the applicant shall make herself available on each date fixed in the matter by the court concerned;
(ii) the applicant shall not directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade from disclosing such facts to the Court;
(iii) the applicant shall not leave India without the previous permission of the Court and if she has passport the same shall be deposited by her before the concerned court.
12. In default of any of the conditions, the court concerned is at liberty to pass appropriate orders for enforcing and compelling the same.
13. The application stands disposed of.
Order Date :- 2.4.2025
Sachin Mishra
