Madhya Pradesh High Court
Damru @ Ram Lakhan vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh on 15 January, 2025
Author: Anand Pathak
Bench: Anand Pathak
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
AT GWALIOR
CRA No. 517 of 2018
(DAMRU @ RAM LAKHAN AND OTHERS Vs THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH )
Dated: 15-01-2025
Shri Rajesh Kumar Shukla-Advocate with Shri Kushagra Shukla-
Advocate for appellants.
Shri D.S. Kushwaha-AAG for respondent/State.
Heard on I.A.No.23794/2024, first application under Section 389(1)
of Cr.P.C. for suspension of jail sentence and grant of bail on behalf of
appellant No.1- Damru alias Ram Lakhan.
This criminal appeal assails the judgment dated 06/12/2017 passed
in ST No.300007/2010 by Special Judge (Atrocities), Sheopur (M.P.),
whereby present appellant has been convicted as under:
Section Imprisonment Fine
302/149 of IPC Life Imprisonment Rs.2,000/- with default
stipulation.
307/149 of IPC 10 years' RI Rs.2,000/- with default
stipulation
148 of IPC 1 Year's R.I. Rs.1,000/- with default
stipulation
It is the submission of learned counsel for the appellants that the
trial Court erred in convicting and awarding jail sentence to present
appellant. He has already suffered more than 8 years' incarceration as pre
and post trial detention. It is further submitted that similarly placed co-
accused namely Munshilal & Dhanraj have already been given the benefit
of suspension of sentence under similar facts and circumstances vide
order dated 25/10/2024 passed in connected Criminal Appeal
No.75/2018. He seeks parity in treatment. Appellant has good case on
merits and since this appeal is of the year 2018, hearing of appeal would
take substantial time. Appellant voluntarily undertakes to perform
community service to purge his misdeed, if any and to serve National
/Environmental/Social cause. With the aforesaid, he prays for suspension
of sentence and grant of bail to present appellant.
Learned counsel for the State opposed the application and prayed
for its dismissal by submitting that there are serious allegations against
the present appellant. However, he fairly conceded the parity as sought by
learned counsel for the appellant.
The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Kashmira Singh Vs.
The State of Punjab (1977) 4 SCC 291 has observed that it would
indeed be a travesty of justice to keep a person in jail for a period of five
or six years, if the Court is not able to hear the appeal of an accused
within a reasonable period of time. The Supreme Court while observing
that unless there are cogent grounds for acting otherwise, the accused be
released on bail; suspended the sentence of accused in the said case
during pendency of the appeal.
The Hon'ble Supreme Court in another decision dated 06.10.2021
in Sonadhar Vs. The State of Chhattisgarh [Special Leave to Appeal
(Crl.) No(s).529/2021] has held that in the State of UP, where cases of
'life convicts' are pending for a long period and large incarceration has
already undergone, the cases be remitted to the High Court for an early
consideration on the pleas of bail.
Also, in Saudan Singh Vs. The State of Uttar Pradesh
[Crl.Appeal Nos.308-324/2022 @ SLP (Crl.) No.4633/2021] the
Hon'ble Supreme Court in view of the fact that the appellant therein was
in jail for eight years, released him on bail.
Considering the arguments advanced by learned counsel for the
parties and the fact that that appellant has already suffered more than 8
years' incarceration as pre and post trial detention as well as the factum of
parity viz-a-viz co-accused namely Munshilal & Dhanraj, this Court
intends to allow the application for suspension of sentence
(I.A.No.23794/2024) of present appellant.
If appellant No.1- Damru alias Ram Lakhan furnishes bail bond
in the sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand Only) along with one
solvent surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court
that he shall appear before the Principal Registrar of this Court on
20/03/2025 and thereafter, on all other subsequent dates as may be fixed
by the Office for appearance, then he shall be released on bail and
execution of jail sentence is suspended till disposal of this appeal, subject
to deposit of fine amount.
The appellant shall not move in the vicinity of family of the
deceased and shall not be source of embarrassment and harassment to the
complainant side in any manner as per the spirit as echoed by the Apex
Court in the case of Aparna Bhat Vs. State of M.P. reported in 2021
SCC Online 230 and accept performance of community service as per the
spirit of Sunita Gandharva Vs. State of M.P. reported in 2020 (3)
MPLJ (Cri.)247.
It is made clear that this bail by way of suspension of sentence is
granted once the case is made out for bail and thereafter, direction
for plantation of saplings is given and it is not the case where a person
intends to serve social cause, can be given bail without considering the
merits.
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It is expected from appellant that he shall submit photographs
by downloading the mobile application (NISARG App) prepared at
the instance of High Court for monitoring the plantation through
satellite/Geo-Tagging.
The I.A. stands allowed and disposed of.
Copy of this order be sent to the trial Court concerned for
information and necessary compliance.
Certified copy as per rules.
(Anand Pathak) (Hirdesh)
Judge Judge
(Dubey)
