Allahabad High Court
Raj Khan vs State Of U.P. on 1 September, 2025
Author: Sanjay Kumar Singh
Bench: Sanjay Kumar Singh
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 24736 of 2025
Court No. - 67
HON'BLE SANJAY KUMAR SINGH, J.
1-Heard learned counsel for the applicant, Mr. Prashant Kumar Singh and Mr. Ajay Singh, learned Brief Holders representing the State and perused the record.
2-The instant bail application has been filed on behalf of the applicant with a prayer to release him on bail in Case Crime No. 94 of 2025, under Sections 74, 123, 351(2) BNS, Police Station-Lalpur/ Pandeypur, District-Varuna (Commissionerate Varanasi), during the pendency of trial.
3-As per prosecution case, the complainant, who is mother of victim, lodged a first information report on 07.04.2025 against 12 named accused, including the applicant, and 11 unknown persons making allegation inter-alia of committing misdeed and gang rape, etc. with her daughter (victim) on 29.03.2025, 30.03.2025, 31.03.2025, 01.04.2025, 02.04.2025 and 03.04.2025 by the accused persons. The relevant extract of F.I.R. is quoted herein below :
"?????? 29/03/2025 ?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ?????????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?????? 30/03/2025 ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? 31/03/2025 ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???, ?? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?????, ?????, ?????, ????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??????? ????? ????? ?????????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? 01/04/2025 ?? ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? ??, ????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??? ? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? IP ??? ?? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? 02/04/2025 ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ??????? ????? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ??? 03/04/2025 ?? ???? ???? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????, ???? ? ?? ???? ??????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?? ??????? ???? ??? 04/04/2025 ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ??? ? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ????????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ???? ????"
4-During investigation, statement under Section 183 of BNSS, 2023 of the victim was also recorded. The extract of said statement of victim is quoted below :
"??? ?????? 29.03.2025 ?? ???? 08.30 ?? 09.00 ??? ?? ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? 12.00 ??? ??? ???? ? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ???? ?? boyfriend ????? ? ????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ? ???? ???? ???? ?? ?? ? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?? 7 ??? ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????????? ?? ??????? ?? ???????????? ??, ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???, ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? 3 ?? 4 ??? ?? ????? ??? ??? ?????????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ????, ??? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ????, ?? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ???? 03 ?? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ? 03 ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ????? ??? ???? 05 ??? ?? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? 15 ????? ?? ???? ???????? ????, ?????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???????? ????? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?????? 03.04.2025 ?? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ?????, ????, ????? ? 02 ?????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ???????? ????, ??? ?????, ?????, ???? ? 02 ?????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ????, ???????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????, ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ???, ???? ???? ????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ? bad touch ???? ??? ????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ???????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???????????? ???? ?? ????? ????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ??, ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ????? ???"
5-Main substratum of arguments of learned counsel for the applicant is that complicity of the applicant along-with his friends came into light in the incident dated 02.04.2025 and there is no allegation of rape against the applicant. The applicant is a private taxi driver and resident of nearby locality, where the victim resides. The victim met him near IP Mall and on her request, he dropped her to Assi Ghat. Hence, the applicant, who is languishing in jail since 15.04.2025, may be enlarged on bail.
6-On the other hand, learned A.G.A. vehemently opposed the prayer of bail in the light of contents of F.I.R. and aforesaid statement of the victim. Relying upon the judgment of the Hon?ble Apex Court in the case of Raju @ Umakant Vs. State of M.P., 2025 SCC OnLine SC 997, act of the applicant and allegation against him comes under the ambit of rape as defined under Section 63 BNS, 2023. It is also pointed out that in paragraph 26 of the affidavit filed in support of bail application, the applicant has disclosed that he has criminal history of 03 cases only, whereas apart from the present case, the applicant has criminal history of total following 08 cases:-
(i) Case Crime No. 0156 of 2019, under Sections 323, 504, 506 IPC, Police Station Cantt., Commissionerate Varanasi,
(ii) Case Crime No. 1526 of 2019, under Sections 279, 323, 337, 504 IPC, Police Station Cantt., Commissionerate Varanasi,
(iii) Case Crime No. 0178 of 2020, under Sections 323, 341, 427, 504, 506 IPC, Police Station Lalpur Pandeypur, Commissionerate Varanasi,
(iv) Case Crime No. 0059 of 2021, under Sections 323, 504, 506 IPC, Police Station Dashaswamedh, Commissionerate Varanasi,
(v) Case Crime No. 0360 of 2021, under Sections 143, 186, 188, 341, 504 IPC, Police Station Lalpur Pandeypur, Commissionerate Varanasi,
(vi) Case Crime No. 0267 of 2024, under Sections 110, 115(2) BNS, Police Station Lalpur Pandeypur, Commissionerate Varanasi,
(vii) Case Crime No. 0065 of 2025, under Sections 110, 115(2), 351(2), 352 BNS, Police Station Shivpur, Commissionerate Varanasi,
(viii) Case Crime No. 0079 of 2025, under Sections 115(2), 191(2) BNS, Police Station Lalpur Pandeypur, Commissionerate Varanasi.
7-Having heard learned counsel for the parties, I find that the deponent has not come with clean hand and concealed the material facts about the criminal history of the applicant, which is also one of the relevant aspect for considering the bail prayer of the applicant. The alleged offence is heinous in nature. The victim in her statement has supported the prosecution case as mentioned in the F.I.R. giving vivid description of the incident which happened with her. As on date, I do not find any good ground to disbelieve the statement of the victim.
8-In view of judgment of Hon'ble the Apex Court in the case of Neeru Yadav vs. State of U.P., (2014) 16 SCC 508, criminal antecedents of the accused also cannot be ignored while deciding bail application, discretionary powers of Courts to grant bail must be exercised in a judicious manner in case of a habitual offender.
9-The said judgment has been further followed by the Apex Court in the case of Sudha Singh vs. State of U.P. and another, (2021) 4 SCC 781.
10-The courts of law are meant for imparting justice between the parties. One, who comes to the court, must come with clean hands and no material facts should be concealed.
11-Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case as well as keeping in view the submissions advanced on behalf of parties, gravity of offence, role assigned to applicant, criminal history of the applicant and severity of punishment, I do not find any good ground to release the applicant on bail.
12-Accordingly, the bail application is rejected.
13-It is made clear that the observation contained in the instant order is confined to the issue of bail and shall not affect the merit of the trial.
14-A copy of this order be sent to the complainant within three days for information.
September 1, 2025
Shubham
