Dharmu @ Dharm Singh vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh
2025 Latest Caselaw 171 MP

Madhya Pradesh High Court

Dharmu @ Dharm Singh vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh on 1 May, 2025

Author: Anand Pathak

Bench: Anand Pathak

                                                                  1                              CRA-8091-2024
                                            IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
                                                          AT GWALIOR
                                                          CRA No. 8091 of 2024
                                           (DHARMU @ DHARM SINGH Vs THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH )



                            Dated : 01-05-2025
                                  Shri D.R.Sharma - Advocate for appellant.
                                  Shri A.K.Nirankari - Public Prosecutor for respondent/State.

Heard on IA No.26072 of 2024, first application under Section 389 (1) of Cr.P.C. moved on behalf of appellant - Dharmu @ Dharam Singh for suspension of jail sentence and grant of bail.

(2) This criminal appeal assails the judgment dated 31.05.2024 passed by the Special Judge (Atrocities), Datia, in Special Case No.55 of 2021, whereby appellant No.2 has been convicted under Section 302 read with Section 34 of IPC and Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and sentenced to undergo life imprisonment with fine of Rs.25,000/- for both the offences with default stipulation.

(3) It is the submission of learned counsel for appellant that trial Court erred in convicting and awarding the jail sentence to present appellant. It is further submitted that even as per the allegations and story of prosecution, the role of present appellant is confined to exhortation. However, it is also doubtful for the

reason that initial FIR does not contain such particulars. Even otherwise, only eye- witness Jahendra Mongia (PW-1) in his statement under Section 161 of Cr.P.C. recorded on 23.10.2020 nowhere mentions this fact regarding exhortation by present appellant. Though another witness Rajendra Mongia in his statement (Ex.P/17) under Section 161 of Cr.P.C. recorded on 12.02.2021 mentions the fact regarding exhortation by present appellant, but he is not an eye-witness of the

2 CRA-8091-2024 case. Still appellant was implicated, tried and convicted. Appellant has already suffered one year and eight months of jail incarceration as pre and post trial confinement. Co-accused - Ranjeet has already been granted benefit of suspension of sentence by this Court vide order dated 02.12.2024 passed in CRA No.8233/2024. Therefore, he seeks parity. Hearing of the appeal would take some time and he has a good case on merits. Fine amount has already been deposited. That apart, he undertakes to abide by the terms and conditions as imposed by this Court. Further, he intends to perform community service by serving National, Social and Environmental cause by contributing his part voluntarily by planting saplings. On the aforesaid submissions, he prays for suspension of sentence and grant of bail to present appellant.

(4) Learned counsel for the State opposed the application and prayed for

its dismissal with submission that looking to the nature and gravity of offence, no case for grant of benefit of suspension of sentence to present appellant is made out.

(5) Heard learned counsel for parties and perused the record. (6) Considering the submissions as advanced, specially the factum of parity viz-a-viz order dated 02.12.2024 in respect of co-accused- Ranjeet and without commenting on the merits of the case, application (IA No.26072 of 2024) is allowed subject to deposit of fine amount, if not already deposited and it is ordered that on furnishing a personal bond of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand Only) with one solvent surety in the same amount to the satisfaction of the concerned trial Court, jail sentence of appellant- Dharmu @ Dharam Singh shall remain suspended till disposal of this appeal and he be released on bail. He is further directed to remain present before the Registry of this Court on 21.07.2025 and, thereafter, on such subsequent dates as may be fixed by

3 CRA-8091-2024 the Registry.

(7) It is made clear that this bail 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.

(8) एत ारा यह िनदिशत कया जाता है क आवेदक 5 पौधे का (फल दे ने वाले पेड़ अथवा नीम/पीपल) रोपण करे गा तथा उसे अपने आस पडोस म पेड़ क सुर ा के िलए बाड़ लगाने क यव था करनी होगी ता क पौधे सुर त रह सके। आवेदक का यह कत य है क न केवल पौध को लगाया जाऐ, ब क उ ह पोषण भी दया जाए।

''वृ ारोपण के साथ, वृ ापोषण भी आव यक है ।'' आवेदक वशेषतः 6-8 फ ट ऊ◌ॅ◌ंचे पौधे/पेड़ को 3-4 फ ट ग ढा करके लगायेगा ता क वे शी ह पूण वकिसत हो सक। अनुपालन सुिन त करने के िलए, आवदे क को रहा कये जाने क दनांक से 30 दन के भीतर संबंिधत वचारण यायालय के सम वृ /पौध के रोपण के सभी फोटो तुत करना हे ाग । त प ात ्, वचारण के समापन तक हर तीन मह ने म आवदे क के ारा वचारण यायालय के सम गित रपेाट तुत क जाएगी ।

                                   (9)      वृ    क    गित पर िनगरानी रखना वचारण यायालय का कत य है
                             य क पयावरण          रण के कारण मानव अ त व दांव पर है और यायालय अनुपालन

के बारे म आवदे क ारा दखाई गई कसी भी लापरवाह को नजर अंदाज नह कर सकता है । इसिलए आवदे क को पेड़ क गित और आवदे क ारा अनुपालन के संबंध म एक रपोट तुत करने के िलए िनदिशत कया जाता है एवं आवदे क ारा कये गये अनुपालन क एक सं रपेाट वचारण यायालय के सम येक तीन माह म (अगले छः मह न के िलए) रखी जायेगी जसे क ''िनदश'' शीषक के अतंगत रखा जाएगा।

(10) वृ ारोपण म या पेड़ क दे खभाल म आवदे क क ओर से क गई केाई भी

चूक आवदे क को जमानत का लाभ लेने से वंिचत कर सकती है ।

(11) आवेदक को इन पौध /पेड को रोपने क वतं ता होगी, य द वह इन रोपे

4 CRA-8091-2024

गये पेड क गाड या बाड़ लगाकर र ा करना चाहता है , अ यथा आवेदक को वृ के रोपण के िलए तथा उनके सुर ा उपाय के िलए आव यक खच वहन करना होग।

                                   (12)    इस      यायालय   ारा यह िनदश एक पर         ण   करण के तौर पर दए
                            गए ह ता क हं सा और बुराई के वचार का               ितकार, सृजन एवं    कृ ित के साथ
                            एकाकार होने के मा यम से सामांज य                 था पत    कया जा सके। वतमान म
                            मानव अ त व के आव यक अंग के                  प म दया, सेवा,      ेम एवं क ं णा क
                              कृ ित को वकिसत करने क            आव यकता है            य क यह मानव जीवन क
                             मूलभूत        वृितयां ह और मानव अ त व को बनाए रखने के िलए इनका
                            पुनज वत होना आव यक है ।
                                   (13)     ''यह    यास केवल एक वृ       के रोपण का        न होकर ब क एक
                            वचार के अंकुरण का है ।''

(14) It is expected form present 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 / Geo fencing etc. (15) IA stands allowed and disposed of.

(16) Copy of this order be sent to the trial Court concerned for compliance from the office of this Court.

Certified copy as per rules/directions.

                                   (ANAND PATHAK)                                         (HIRDESH)
                                       JUDGE                                                JUDGE
                            *VJ*