Sashibhussan Pradhan vs State Of Orissa
2021 Latest Caselaw 8138 Ori

                     IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

                                    CRLMC No.851 of 2021

             Sashibhussan Pradhan                        ....         Petitioner
                                                     Mr.Manas Chand, Advocate
                                          -versus-
             State of Orissa                              ....     Opposite Party
                                                               Mr.D.Mund, AGA


                         CORAM:
                         JUSTICE B. P. ROUTRAY

                                        ORDER

4.8.2021 Order No.

05. 1. The Petitioner, Sashibhusan Pradhan has prayed for his release on default bail under Section 36-A(4) of the N.D.P.S.Act read with Section 167(2) of the Cr.P.C.

2. The facts of the case are that the Petitioner is in custody in connection with T.R.Case No.43 of 2018 arising out of Jeyporoe Town Police Station Case No.208 dated 26th July, 2018 for commission of offences under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C)25//29 of the N.D.P.S.Act. As per the allegations, the Petitioner along with five other accused persons were found in possession of contraband ganja weighing K589.500 gms while transporting the same in a Mini Truck. By order dated 27th July, 2018 of the learned Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge, Koraput, Jeypore, he has been taken to custody on production by the police. The investigation continued and 180 days completed on 23rd January, 2019. Before the said date, on 21st January, 2019 a petition was filed by the I.O. praying for extension of time for completion of investigation and

the learned Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge on the same day allowed the prayer of the I.O. The order dated 21st January, 2019 reads as under:

"The case record is put up today as the I.O. has submitted up-to-date case diary, statement u/s 161 Cr.P.C., seizure list, zimanama, detail report and other connected documents along with a petition to extend the stipulated time for submission of Charge Sheet for a period of another 60 days on the ground stated therein. Heard.

The learned Special P.P. submitting on behalf of the I.O. that the major part of investigation is completed, but the absconding accused persons namely Kabul Khora. Rajesh Khora and Alekh Sahu are yet to be arrested and to ascertain ownership of the seized vehicle. The stipulated period of 180 days to submit the charge sheet is going to be expired on 23.01.2019, therefore the prayer has been made to extend further period of 60 days for completion of the investigation and submission of charge sheet in this case.

Heard the learned Special P.P. Perused the contents of the petition. After having gone through the petition in detail and having heard the submission by the learned Special P.P. on behalf of the I.O., it is felt that the I.O. requires more time for submission of the charge sheet for some justified reasons cited in the petition.

Accordingly, the I.O. is to proceed with the ongoing investigation and permitted 15 days time for last chance with effect from 24.01.2019 and he is further directed to submit the chargsheet after the extended time as per provision of Sec.36- A(4) proviso of N.D.P.S.Act."

3. Subsequently chargsheet was submitted on 7th February, 2019 alleging commission of offence under Sections 20(b)(ii)(C)/25 of the N.D.P.S.Act and cognizance of all such offences has been taken on the same day.

4. The Petitioner contends before this Court that remanding him to custody beyond 23rd January, 2019 is against the principles of law enumerated in 167(2) of the Cr.P.C. It is further contended that without giving an opportunity of hearing to the accused- Petitioner and even without intimating him of his right of release

on default bail, grant of extension of time to complete the investigation beyond 180 days period is gross violation of law as well as right accrued in favour of the Petitioner for default bail. Thus, the order of the learned Sessions Judge dated 21st January, 2019 and subsequent remand of the Petitioner in custody is illegal. It is thus prayed that the Petitioner may be released on bail as a matter of right protected in the provisions contained in Section 167(2) of the Cr.P.C. read with Section 36-A(4) of the N.D.P.S.Act. In this regard, the Petitioner rely on the decision of this Court reported in (2018)71 OCR-31 (Lambodar Bag Vrs. State of Orissa) and the judgment in CRLMC No.1358 of 2020, disposed of on 8.2.2021 (Rohiteswar Meher Vrs. State of Odisha).

5. It is the settled law that right guaranteed under Section 167(2) to the accused is indefeasible. This Court, in the case of Labmbodar Bag (supra) after taking into consideration the principles decided in the case of Hitendra Vishnu Thakur Vrs. State of Maharashtra, reported in A.I.R. 1994 SC 2623 and various other decisions, have answered on five points relating to release of an accused in terms of Section 36-A (4) of the N.D.P.S. Act read with Section 167 (2) of the Cr.P.C. The answer is in affirmative in favour of the accused for his enlargement on bail for non-completion of investigation within the prescribed period of 180 days on different contingencies relating to extension of such period. It is observed inter alia by this Court at para-8 as follows:

"In the case in hand, when the petition was filed by the learned Addl. Special Public Prosecutor on 22.07.2017 for

extending the period of investigation, no notice was issued to the petitioners on such petition to have their say in the matter. Even the filing of the petition was not brought to the notice of the counsels representing the petitioners. Since while considering such a petition, principles of natural justice was not followed and the petitioners were not given opportunity to oppose the extension on any legitimate and legal grounds available to them and even the trial Judge has not brought filing of such a petition to the notice of the counsels representing the petitioners, in view of the ratio laid down in case of Hitendra Vishnu Thakur (supra), I am of the view that the learned Trial Judge has committed illegality in granting extension for a further period of sixty days for completing investigation as per order dated 22.07.2017 which is against fair play in action and in my humble opinion, it has caused serious prejudice to the petitioners. Even though Sub-section (4) of Section 36-A of the N.D.P.S. Act does not specifically provide for issuance of notice to the accused on the report of the Public Prosecutor before granting extension but it must be read into the provision both in the interest of the accused and the prosecution as well as for doing complete justice 12 between the parties and since there is no prohibition to the issuance of such a notice to the accused, no extension shall be granted by the Special Court without such notice. Moreover, report has to be filed by the Public Prosecutor in advance and not on the last day, so that on being noticed, the accused gets fair opportunity to have his say and oppose the extension sought for by the prosecution."

6. In the said decision this Court has further held that, before granting extension of time to the prosecution, the obligation casts upon the Court to inform the accused of his right for release on bail.

7. It is also held in the case of Lambodar Bag(supra) that, even the accused has not applied for his release on default bail, still his entitlement for bail on account of non-submission of prosecution report would not be affected. The relevant observations of this Court are reproduced below:

"xx xx xx

Keeping in view that ratio laid down in the aforesaid decisions and coming to the case in hand, I am of the humble view that even though the petitioners have not applied for bail during the default period when prosecution report was not filed even after extended period for completion of investigation as was 28 granted by the learned Trial Judge but since the learned trial Judge has not informed the petitioners of their right being released on bail on account of non-submission of prosecution report, no fault can be found with the petitioners for not making such application for bail during the default period. Had the learned trial Judge informed the petitioners of their right and the petitioners on being so informed, failed to file an application for release on bail on account of the default by the investigating agency in the completion of investigation within the extended period, after the prosecution report is filed, they would have lost their valuable right. In the factual scenario, the petitioners cannot be stated to have voluntarily given up their indefeasible right for default bail.

9. Even though the petitioners have not applied for bail before the learned Trial Judge on the ground of not being noticed to have their say on the invalid petition filed by the Addl. Public Prosecutor on 22.07.2017 but on some other grounds, they are not debarred from taking such ground before this Court. As held in case of Rakesh Kumar Paul, in the matter of personal liberty, the Court should not be too technical and must lean in favour of personal liberty. An application for bail in the High Court is not an application for review of the order of the Court below. 29 Grounds not taken in the Court below can be taken in the bail petition in the higher Court and even non-taking of grounds in the bail petition will not deprive the counsel for the accused in raising such grounds during hearing of the bail application. Even if a ground for grant of bail is not taken in the bail petition and not argued by the counsel for the accused, the Court is not deprived of releasing the accused on bail on such ground if it is legally sustainable. Strict rules of pleadings are not applicable in bail petition."

8. In the present case, the Petitioner is inside custody till date and it is clear from order dated 21st January, 2019 of the learned Sessions Judge-Cum-Special Judge that the accused-Petitioner has not been given any opportunity of hearing to lead his legitimate objection nor he has been informed of his right on

default bail before granting extension of time to the prosecution for completion of investigation.

9. Thus, in consideration of all the facts, the order dated 21st January, 2019 of the learned Sessions Judge-Cum-Special Judge to the extent granting extension to the prosecution for completion of investigation is set aside. Resultantly, it is directed to release the Petitioner on bail in the aforesaid case on furnishing bail bond of Rs.50,000/- (fifty thousand) with two sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the Court in seisin over the matter with further condition that one of such surety shall be his relative and he shall not be involved in any other offence while on bail and that, he shall co-operate for expeditious conclusion of trial. Further, the court below is at liberty to fix any other condition in addition to the above as it deems fit and proper. It is further made clear that violation of any such condition shall entail cancellation of bail.

10. The petition is accordingly allowed.

11. An urgent certified copy of this order be issued as per Rules.

( B.P. Routray) Judge C.R. Biswal