Citation : 2022 Latest Caselaw 8934 Guj
Judgement Date : 10 October, 2022
R/CR.MA/17090/2022 ORDER DATED: 10/10/2022
IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION NO. 17090 of 2022
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RAJESH @ RAJA BATA AMRATBHAI PATEL AMRATBHAI PATEL
(RAJESH AMRATBHAI PATEL)
Versus
STATE OF GUJARAT
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Appearance:
MR AMIT DESAI, SENIOR ADVOCATE with
MR NIRUPAM NANAWATY, SENIOR ADVOCATE with
MR KEYUR GANDHI, ADVOCATE
GANDHI LAW ASSOCIATES(12275) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR MAULIK S SHETH(3586) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR S I NANAVATI, SENIOR ADVOCATE with
MR VAIBHAV SHUKLA, ADVOCATE
NANAVATI & NANAVATI(1933) for the Respondent(s) No. 1
MR L B DABHI, APP for the Respondent-State
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CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE NIKHIL S. KARIEL
Date : 10/10/2022
ORAL ORDER
1. Heard learned Senior Advocate Mr. Amit Desai with
learned Senior Advocate Mr. Nirupam Nanawaty with learned
advocate Mr. Keyur Gandhi and learned Advocate Mr. Maulik
Sheth on behalf of the applicant.
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2. Heard learned Assistant Public Prosecutor Mr. L. B.
Dabhi for the respondent-State
3. Heard learned Senior Advocate Mr. S. I. Nanavati with
learned Advocate Mr. Vaibhav Shukla on behalf of the first
informant.
4. By way of this application under Section 438 of the
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the applicant prays for
being released on anticipatory bail in connection with FIR
No. 11206020220655 of 2022 registered with Kadi
Police Station, District Mehsana, on 16.07.2022 for
offences punishable under Sections 302, 307, 325, 324, 323,
143, 147, 148, and 149of the Indian Penal Code and under
section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act.
5. The FIR inter-alia alleges that the family of the first
informant had entered into an agreement with his cousin
brother and his family who were the owners of a parcel of
land, which will be referred to as disputed land hereinafter
and whereas it appears that there were some civil litigation
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also going on as regards the land in question. It is alleged
that the present applicant had purchased the property in the
year 2021 in the midst of the legal proceedings and whereas
it is alleged that the accused had come to the property in
question at the behest of and upon the instructions of the
present applicant and had assaulted the brothers of the first
informant as well as one more person who was present at
the site of the incident and whereas it is alleged that one of
the brothers of the first informant Sukhdevbhai had expired a
day after the incident i.e. on 16.07.2022. It further appears
that later on approximately a month after the incident the
second brother of the first informant who had also sustained
injuries had also expired on 14.08.2022 though there is some
controversy with regard to the said person having being
discharged and later on having been admitted and
unfortunately expiring.
5.1 At this stage it would also be relevant to mention that it
is nobody's case that the present applicant was at the spot of
the incident or had committed any overt act in so far as the
incident is concerned and whereas as referred to herein
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above the only allegation against the applicant is that the
incident had occurred at this behest or upon his instructions.
6. Learned senior advocate Mr. Amit Desai on behalf of
the applicant would take this Court through various
documents, more particularly with regard to the Civil
Proceedings and the Revenue Proceedings and would submit
that while the first informant who was the plaintiff in the Civil
Suit claimed possession of the property from 1995 and
whereas the Civil Suit came to be decided in the year 2019
and whereas while there was an interim relief in favour of the
plaintiff in the interregnum yet in the Civil Suit the learned
Trial Court while rejecting the suit had not believed the
possession of the plaintiff. Learned senior advocate would
submit that the original land owner had also after the order
of the learned Civil Court applied for conversion of the
property and whereas vide order dated 16.10.2021, the
Collector, Mehsana had granted N. A. permission and
whereas the possession of the property is verified in the said
proceedings and whereas the same, according to the order,
is with the original owners of the property . Learned senior
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advocate would further submit that as a matter of fact while
the order of the learned Civil Court had been challenged by
the present first informant and whereas in the said appeal
proceedings no interim relief had been granted in favour of
the first informant. Learned senior advocate on the basis of
this and other documents would try and emphasis that the
possession of the property in question was with the sellers of
the property and the same had passed over to the present
applicant and therefore, there was no question for the
present applicant to have attempted to take law in his hands
for the purpose of getting the possession of the property in
question. At this stage, learned Senior Advocate would
submit that the land had been purchased after the decision
of the Civil Court, when there had not been any issue with
regard to the title of the property.
6.1 Learned senior advocate would thereafter draw the
attention of this Court to the FIR and would submit that the
FIR for such a serious offence which had occurred according
to the FIR itself between 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM on 15.07.2022
had been registered at 23:30 hrs on the next date i.e. on
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16.07.2022. Learned senior advocate would submit that the
delay of 36 hours in filing the FIR, is only on account of the
fact that the first informant had contrived to somehow
implicate the present applicant as owner of the property and
whereas it is submitted that it is only on account of such a
design on the part of the first informant that the delay had
occurred. Learned senior advocate would also draw the
attention of this Court to the fact that the incident in
question had happened approximately half a kilometer away
from the Police Station and whereas it is submitted that the
first informant in the FIR inter-alia states that his brother who
was residing in the same vicinity had informed the first
informant who was residing at Ahmedabad about the other
accused having entered into the land and having assaulted
the brothers of the first informant at the behest of the
present applicant. Learned senior advocate would submit
that the brother who was present in the vicinity of the land
neither calls the police nor calls the ambulance nor calls any
neighbours or friends or any family members and rushes to
the spot of the incident and calls his brother who is residing
at Ahmedabad and whereas the said aspect according to
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learned senior advocate is one more issue which would show
the frivolity in the prosecution as far as the present applicant
is concerned. Learned senior advocate would further take
this Court through the recitals of the FIR and would submit
that as per the FIR, the first informant and his son reached
the spot of the incident approximately after half hour to one
hour and whereas they had witnessed the other accused
assaulting the brothers of the first informant and whereas
the first informant or his son do not try to intervene and they
stand at the fence and watch the assault in question. It is
submitted that the said behavior of the first informant and
his son is absolutely suspicious and raises questions about
their motive. It is further submitted by learned senior
advocate that the FIR does not reveal as to how the injured
victims had reached the hospital, which also raises questions
about the motive of the first informant.
6.2 Learned senior advocate would submit that the present
first informant is relying upon an N.C. complaint given by the
first informant on 15.04.2022 to the police authorities inter-
alia alleging that the accused i.e. accused Nos. 2 and 3 at the
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behest of the present applicant had come to the land and
had threatened the brothers of the first informant.
6.3 Learned senior advocate would also draw the attention
of this Court to certain affidavits submitted before the
learned Magistrate filed by the first informant, his family
members as well as the victim of the incident apart from the
deceased brothers of the first informant and would submit
that all the affidavits are completely contrary to each other
and whereas learned senior advocate would emphasis on the
affidavit submitted by one Bhavesh Arvindbhai Shukla i.e son
of the brother of the first informant, more particularly as
regards to the aspect that the brother of the first informant
having called the first informant as regards the incident in
question. Learned senior advocate would submit that the
said Bhavesh in his affidavit dated 27.07.2022 i.e.
approximately after 11 days of the incident had filed an
affidavit inter-alia alleging that he received a message/phone
call at around 11:00 AM from the first informant himself that
there is an attack at the land of the first informant and
whereas he was asked to rush to the spot. It also appears
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that at that time the said Bhavesh had no idea about any
injury caused to his uncles at the land in question yet it
appears that the said person had called up 108 ambulance
service. It also appears that instead of rushing to the land
the said person had gone to the Police Station and it is
alleged that inspite of request the Police Authorities had not
gone to the aid of the family of the first informant. Such and
other various inconsistencies have been brought to the
notice of this Court by learned senior advocate in the
affidavit filed by the family members of the first informant.
Having regard to such circumstances, learned senior
advocate would submit that the present applicant appears to
have been falsely implicated more particularly only on
account of an allegation that there was a dispute with
regard to the possession.
6.4 Learned senior advocate would submit that there being
no material which would show that the present applicant had
in any way either conspired or instructed the other accused
to have the possession of the property vacated or to do away
the deceased to death, the present applicant ought not to
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have undergo the rigors of custodial interrogation that too in
such a serious offence.
7. This application is vehemently objected to by learned
Assistant Public Prosecutor Mr. L. B. Dabhi. At the request of
this Court, learned APP has provided to this Court statements
of the persons who were the actual assailants and who have
been taken into custody by the Investigating Officer. On
perusal of the statements of the accused Labhubhai it
appears that the said person was the originator of the
transaction with regard to the present applicant having
purchased the land in question. It appears that the said
Labhubhai had an oral understanding with the seller of the
property of having purchased the land at around Rs. 2.21
crores and whereas the land was to be sold to the present
applicant at around Rs. 2.50 crores. It also prima-facie
appears that the onus of ensuring that the possession is
given to the purchaser of the property i.e. the present
applicant was on the co-accused Labhubhai and Ratnabhai.
7.1 It is also pertinent to mention here that while there is a
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slight inconsistency in the statement of accused Ratnabhai
as compared to the statement of Labhubhai but the
underlying intention of securing around Rs. 29 lakhs from the
transaction and also of being responsible for handing over
the possession of the property to the present applicant is
clearly made out from the said statements.
7.2 Learned APP Mr. Dabhi would submit that looking to the
nature and gravity of the offence the applicant may not be
released on anticipatory bail by this Court.
8. This application is also objected to by learned senior
advocate Mr. S. I. Nanavati on behalf of the first informant.
Learned senior advocate would take this Court in detail
through the orders of the Civil Court and whereas learned
senior advocate would submit that as such there was no
dispute with regard to the fact that the possession of the
property was with the family of the first informant. It is
submitted by learned senior advocate that even a perusal of
the judgment of the learned Civil Court, which according to
the present applicant was in favour of the original
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defendants, would show that the learned Civil Court had
specifically mentioned that the plaintiff is not able to prove
his possession over the property in question. Learned senior
advocate would submit that the learned Civil Court had not
come to a specific finding that the present first informant
and his family members were not in possession of the
property. Learned senior advocate would also submit that as
such there was a issue with regard to the possession and
whereas the possession of the property was with the present
first informant and his family members and after the land
had been purchased by the present applicant, during the
course of proceedings, after name of the present applicant
had been mutated in the revenue record, more particularly
vide an entry which was certified on 11.04.2022, that the
present applicant started taking action for getting possession
of the land in question. Learned senior advocate would also
emphasis on the complaint submitted by the present first
informant and would submit that at the relevant point of time
i.e. on 15.04.2022, there was no inkling on the part of the
first informant as regards such a serious issue taking place
for getting possession of the property. Learned senior
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advocate would submit that even in such application, it was
specifically mentioned that the persons named in the said
application i.e. accused Nos. 2 and 3 had come to the
property at the behest of the present applicant and had
threatened the brothers of the first informant that they would
be done to death if they would not vacate the property in
question. Learned senior advocate would also rely upon
affidavit filed by the Investigating Officer before the learned
Sessions Court and would submit that the Investigating
Officer has clearly observed that the present applicant had
promised an amount of Rs. 2.21 lakhs for getting the
possession of the property in question and whereas it also
appears that the present applicant was in touch with the
accused Nos. 2 and 3 in the days prior to the date of the
incident in question. Having regard to such submissions
learned senior advocate would request this Court not release
the present applicant on Anticipatory Bail more particularly
considering the fact that the allegation against the applicant
is of having conspired to do two persons to death.
9. Heard learned senior advocates for the respective
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parties and learned APP for the respondent - State. While
this Court is conscious of the fact that a detailed
examination of the facts and material is not necessary at this
stage of considering an application for Anticipatory Bail and
whereas the following relevant aspects are considered by
this Court for deciding the present application:
[1] It clearly appears that the present applicant was
not amongst the assailants and whereas the present
applicant was not present at the scene of offence.
[2] While it appears that the present applicant was
owner of the property in question and whereas while it
has been attempted to be argued by learned senior
advocate Mr. Desai for the present applicant that there
was no dispute as regards to possession of the property
and whereas while in the considered opinion of this
Court as far as the official documents including the
order passed by the learned Civil Court as well as the
N.A. order by the Collector would show that the
possession was not with the first informant and his
family members but infact, actually, more particularly,
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placing reliance upon the statement of the co-accused
who have been apprehended, it prima-facie appears
that there was some dispute with regard to the actual
possession of the land.
[3] It also appears from the statement of the accused
i.e. co-accused Labhubhai and Ratnabhai, that the said
accused had initially entered into a deal with the
original owner of the property from whom the present
applicant had purchased the property. It appears that
the said co-accused had fixed the price of the land at
Rs. 2.21 crores with the original owner of the land and
whereas the land was to be sold to the present
applicant at Rs. 2.50 crores. It appears that the
difference of Rs. 29 lakhs was to be kept by the co-
accused Labhubhai and Ratnabhai.
[4] It also appears very clearly from the statement of
the said accused persons that the onus of getting
vacant possession of the property was upon the said
accused persons.
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[5] It further appears that the statement of the co-
accused prima-facie appear to be confirmed that they
are land brokers and whereas the same aspect has
been mentioned by the first informant in his original N.
C. complaint dated 15.04.2022. It also appears that in
none of the statements the co-accused Labhubhai or
Ratnabhai state about the applicant having promised
any money for vacating the land in question and
whereas it also appears that the amount of Rs. 2.21
lakhs referred to in the affidavit of the Investigating
Officer before the learned Sessions Court, was the
amount which was to be given to Labhubhai and
Ratnabhai as brokerage for the land in question.
[6] It further appears that apart from this reference to
the amount of Rs. 2.10 lakhs, there is not reference of
such an amount more particularly there being no
reference that the applicant having promised any such
amount to the co-accused for vacating the property in
question.
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[7] While it appears that the present applicant may
have asked the said accused to abide by the promise of
getting vacant possession of the land in question but in
the considered opinion of this Court such request for
abiding by their own promise would not automatically
translate into being part of a criminal conspiracy under
section 120B of the Indian Penal Code.
[8] It also appears to this Court that the other co-
accused including brother of Ratnabhai i.e. Rajubhai
had come to the land at the behest of the accused
persons Labhubhai and Ratnabhai.
[9] From the statements of co-accused it does not
appear that the present applicant had given any specific
instructions to the said accused either to have the land
vacated forcibly or to take law in their hands and/or to
even assault and more particularly to do the deceased
to death. None of the statements reflect any positive
instructions by the present applicant except an
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instruction/request to the accused persons Labhubhai
and Ratnabhai to abide by their promise and get vacant
possession of the land.
[10] It further appears that the applicant is a developer
and whereas the co-accused with whom the applicant is
shown to be in touch near around the date when the
incident had happened could not be the only material
on the basis of which the applicant could be required to
undergo custodial interrogation, as such telephonic
conversation between a land developer and land broker
would be in the normal course of events and even the
co-accused do not claim to have been instructed by the
present applicant to do any illegal act.
[11] It also appears that the FIR has been filed, with a
delay of 36 hours and whereas it appears that the said
aspect, would be very relevant for the purpose of the
present application more particularly if considered from
the perspective of the fact that the Police Station was
only half a kilometer away from the place of the
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incident.
[12] It also requires to be mentioned that the
statement of the first informant, his brother Arvindbhai
who informed him about the incident, affidavit of son of
Arvindbhai, affidavit of son of the present first informant
Pratikbhai and affidavit of son of one of the deceased
Sukhdevbhai i.e. Raj, all point out to the inconsistencies
in the theory propounded by the prosecution.
[13] It appears, as can be made out from the FIR as
well as the affidavits referred to hereinabove that
brother of the first informant who was residing in the
near vicinity of the place where the incident had taken
place, had initially instead of either calling out the
police or any other authorities had informed the present
first informant who was residing approximately 45
minutes to 1 hour away about the incident.
[14] It also appears that son of one of the deceased
was also having a shop which was adjacent to the land
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in question and whereas upon hearing the noises about
the assault, he had gone to the place of incident on his
scooter and whereas instead of trying to help his father
and father's brother, Raj Sukhdevbhai had taken the
third injured persons on his scooter to a village in the
vicinity from where the said person appears to have
gone to some hospital. It further appears that the said
person neither tried to intervene nor gathers any of his
friends or relatives to go to the place of incident more
particularly, since it appears that the said person was
the first person from the family to reach the place of
incident on account of the fact that he had taken one of
the injured during the course of incident yet the said
person neither goes to the Police Station nor informs
any of his friends and intervenes.
[15] It also appears that while the first informant in the
FIR inter-alia states about being informed by his brother
between 9:00AM and 10:00AM about the other accused
having attacked his brother in the land in question yet
in his application to the Police Inspector which was
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affirmed before the learned Magistrate, it appears that
the said brother of the first informant Arvindbhai does
not mention about any such phone call.
[16] It also appears that while the FIR mentions about
5 persons having entered the agricultural field, the
injured witness states about 10 persons having entered
the agricultural field whereas in his affidavit Raj son of
deceased Sukhdev Shukla mentions about 100 persons
having entered in the agricultural field. Thus it clearly
appears that there is an attempt by the prosecution to
exaggerate the version.
[17] It also appears that while at the relevant point of
time none of the persons i.e. the first informant or his
family members had called up either 100 for Police
assistance or had visited the Police Station yet later on
in their affidavits before the learned Court below, it is
attempted to be stated that at the relevant point of
time, 100 number had been called by many of the
family members and whereas there was no response
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and whereas it is also stated that some of the family
members including Arvindbhai and his son had visited
the Police Station requesting for assistance and
whereas the same had been refused. Such submission
with regard to 100 number as well as the family of the
first informant having visited the Police Station is
strongly refuted by learned APP Mr. Dabhi upon
instructions from the Investigation Officer.
[18] It further appears that while the family members
of the first informant had inter-alia alleged about having
gone to the Police Station at the time of the incident
and also having called up 100 number for Police
assistance in their affidavit before the learned
Magistrate yet it also appears that in the detailed
affidavit-in-reply filed by the first informant there is no
reference to such facts of the family of the first
informant either having gone to the Police Station
during the course of incident or even trying to call 100
number during such time.
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[19] In so far as the aspect of present applicant having
an antecedent is concerned, it appears that an FIR
inter-alia for offence punishable under section 304, 337,
308, 195, 196 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code had
been registered against the present applicant for an
accident which had occurred in a property developed by
the applicant. Such FIR being of the year 2021 and
whereas the learned Sessions Court had granted
Anticipatory Bail to the present applicant and whereas
the applicant had also approached this Court praying for
quashing of the FIR and vide an order dated
10.01.2022, the learned Co-ordinate bench of this Court
had been pleased to direct the Investigating Officer not
to file chargesheet without permission of this Court
whereas liberty to continue investigation was granted.
In the considered opinion of this Court, an FIR for an
offence punishable under section 304 of the Indian
Penal Code where the applicant had been released on
Anticipatory Bail and where this Court had deemed it
appropriate to direct the Investigating Officer not to file
chargesheet would not lead to an automatic conclusion
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that the applicant is habituated in committing offences.
[20] Having regard to the observations made
hereinabove, in the considered opinion of this Court
more particularly in view of the statements of the co-
accused who have carried out the actual assault and
form the inconsistencies in the version put forth by the
first informant and his family members, in the
considered opinion of this Court, the aspect of frivolity
in prosecution cannot be ruled out.
[21] While this Court is conscious that the allegation in
the FIR is with regard to causing death of two persons,
which is as submitted by learned senior advocate Mr.
Nanavati one of the most serious offences against the
human body but at the same time in the considered
opinion of this Court, the aspect of frivolity in
prosecution, which would lead to the liberty of a person
being impinged upon and such a person being required
to undergo custodial interrogation for no reason, is also
an aspect which would equally weigh with this Court.
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10. This Court has also considered the fact situation from
the context of the law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme
Court in Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre v. State of
Maharashtra and Ors. reported in (2011)1 SCC 694,
more particularly from the context of the parameter which
have to be taken into consideration while dealing with an
application for Anticipatory Bail. Having regard to the same,
this Court observes that while the nature and the gravity of
accusation is undoubtedly serious more particularly having
regard to the offences alleged at the same time, the exact
role which is attributed to the applicant, in the FIR is of being
a conspirator and whereas as noted hereinabove, from the
investigation papers it clearly appears that neither there was
any conspiracy nor the present applicant had in any way
instructed any of the other co-accused to take law into their
own hands. Furthermore, insofar as the antecedent of the
applicant is concerned as noted hereinabove, while the
applicant is named in a FIR, the applicant had not previously
undergone any imprisonment and whereas as noted
hereinabove, the applicant had been released on
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Anticipatory Bail by the learned Sessions Court with regard to
the said offence and whereas this Court had also taken
prima-facie cognizance of the FIR. It also appears that there
is no apprehension voiced by the Investigating Authority that
there is any possibility of the applicant fleeing from justice. It
also appears that prima-facie there is no possibility of the
accused committing any similar offence more particularly in
view of the fact that the applicant is shown to be a developer
of land and whereas in all these years no such complaint
having been registered against the applicant.
10.1 It also appears that prima-facie the accusations have
been made with the object of injuring or humiliating the
applicant by arresting him more particularly since it appears
that the applicant is attempted to be roped in as an accused
merely on the basis of an assumption, which assumption in
the considered opinon of this Court, prima-facie not
appearing to be correct as from the statement of the co-
accused.
10.2 It also appears that grating Anticipatory Bail to the
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present applicant would not have any effect of large
magnitude more particularly on account of the fact that the
offence is personal in nature.
10.3 Furthermore, having evaluated the entire available
material and the exact role of the present applicant, in the
considered opinion of this Court, prima-facie the present
appears to be a case of over-implication since the present
applicant is sought to be implicated by the aid of section 34
and 120-B and whereas there is no common intention which
could be prima-facie made out by this Court. More
particularly considering the investigation papers which
reveals that the responsibility of getting vacant possession of
the land was upon accused Nos. 2 and 3. Thus, it also
appears that there is no agreement by the parties to commit
an offence more particularly there being no material suggest
such an agreement between the parties which would be an
essential component for implicating the application on the
basis of section 120B of the Indian Penal Code.
10.4 Insofar as the balance which is required to be struck
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between any prejudice to the free, fair and full investigation
and prevention of harassment, humiliation and unjustified
detention of the accused, in the considered opinion of this
Court to balance the said aspect, while this Court proposes to
release the present applicant subject to imposing certain
stringent conditions so as to ensure that there could not be
any prejudice to the investigation. Stringent conditions could
also be imposed upon the applicant to ensure that there is
no apprehension of tampering of witnesses or any threat to
the complainant.
10.5 Insofar as the aspect of frivolity of prosecution is
concerned, this Court is inclined to hold in favour of the
present applicant more particularly relying upon the
observations of Hon'ble Apex Court that 'the element of
genuineness only shall have to be considered in the matter
of grant of bail and in the event of there being some doubt
as to the genuineness of the prosecution in the normal
course of events the accused is entitled to an order of bail.'
That as noted hereinabove, as far as the applicant is
concerned, the prosecution prima-facie appears to be
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frivolous since there are grave inconsistencies in the case of
the first informant, more particularly with a view to implicate
the present applicant and whereas it also appears as noted
hereinabove from the investigation papers that neither the
applicant was part of any conspiracy nor the present
applicant had any common intention nor did the applicant
instruct the other co-accused to take law in their hands,
rather as it appears the co-accused in furtherance of their
responsibility to have the land vacated had taken law in their
hands.
10.6 In this view of the matter, more particularly having
considered the fact situation from the law laid down by the
Hon'ble Apex Court, it clearly appears to this Court that
discretion is required to be exercised in favour of the present
applicant.
11. In the result, the present application is allowed by
directing that in the event of applicant herein being arrested
pursuant to the FIR No. 11206020220655 of 2022
registered with Kadi Police Station, District Mehsana,
R/CR.MA/17090/2022 ORDER DATED: 10/10/2022
the applicant shall be released on bail on furnishing a
personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh only) with
one surety of like amount, on the following conditions:
(a) shall cooperate with the investigation and make
himself available for interrogation whenever
required;
(b) shall remain present at the concerned Police
Station on 12.10.2022 between 11:00 a.m. and
2:00 p.m.;
(c) shall mark his presence at the concerned Police
Station once every week till the chargesheet is
filed;
(d) shall not enter the District Mehsana till the
chargesheet is filed except for the purpose of
co-operating with the investigation;
(e) shall not directly or indirectly make any
inducement, threat or promise to any person
acquainted with the fact of the case so as to
dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the
R/CR.MA/17090/2022 ORDER DATED: 10/10/2022
Court or to any police officer;
(f) shall not obstruct or hamper the police
investigation and not to play mischief with the
evidence collected or yet to be collected by the
Police;
(g) shall at the time of execution of bond, furnish
the address to the Investigating Officer and the
Court concerned and shall not change his
residence till the final disposal of the case or till
further orders;
(h) shall not leave India without the permission of
the Court and, if having passport shall surrender
the same before the Trial Court within a week.
12. Despite this order, it would be open for the
Investigating Agency to file an application for police remand
of the applicant to the competent Magistrate, if he thinks it
just and proper and learned Magistrate would decide it on
merits. The applicant shall remain present before the learned
Magistrate on the first date of hearing of such application
and on all subsequent occasions, as may be directed by the
R/CR.MA/17090/2022 ORDER DATED: 10/10/2022
learned Magistrate. This would be sufficient to treat the
accused in the judicial custody for the purpose of
entertaining application of the prosecution for police remand.
This is, however, without prejudice to the right of the
accused to seek stay against an order of remand, if
ultimately granted, and the power of the learned Magistrate
to consider such a request in accordance with law. It is
clarified that the applicant, even if, remanded to the police
custody, upon completion of such period of police remand,
shall be set free immediately, subject to other conditions of
this anticipatory bail order.
13. At the trial, the Trial Court shall not be influenced by
the observations made by this Court which are prima-facie in
nature only for the purpose of considering the application for
grant of anticipatory bail. Rule is made absolute to the
aforesaid extent.
Direct service is permitted.
(NIKHIL S. KARIEL,J) SHRIJIT PILLAI
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