Citation : 2023 Latest Caselaw 1415 P&H
Judgement Date : 23 January, 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
(Sr. No. 206) CRM-M No. 18088 of 2022
Date of decision : 23.01.2023
Munish Kumar @ Manu
.....Petitioner
Versus
State of Punjab
.....Respondent
CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DEEPAK SIBAL
Present : Mr. Gursimran Singh Madaan, Advocate for the petitioner.
Mr. A.P.S. Tung, DAG, Punjab.
***
DEEPAK SIBAL, J. (Oral)
Through the present petition filed under Section 438 Cr.P.C. the
petitioner seeks anticipatory bail in FIR No.0010 dated 11.01.2022 registered
under Section 376 IPC at Police Station Division No.6, Jalandhar.
Briefly stated, the case of the prosecution is that when the
prosecutrix was waiting to board a bus at the Jalandhar Bus Stop to go to
Chandigarh, the petitioner, who was already known to her, initially offered
and then, on her acceptance, gave her a lift to Chandigarh. However, on the
way he started to molest her but when such act on his part was responded to
by the prosecutrix by slapping him, he retaliated by beating her on her head
with an iron rod and then by raping her.
Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner
has been falsely embroiled in this case because the petitioner and the
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prosecutrix were in a consensual relationship which had turned sour; there is
40 days delay in lodging of the FIR in question; there is no medical evidence
to support the prosecution's case; the complainant is undergoing psychiatric
treatment and therefore on that count as well the allegations made by her are
doubtful; the complainant's brother has also stated before the police that the
version given by the complainant be first verified before any action is taken
against the petitioner; the allegations in the FIR are absolutely vague and
contradictory as in the same no specific names are forthcoming; the
complainant alleges beatings by the petitioner but there is no medical
evidence to support such allegations and that the petitioner is also ready and
willing to join and cooperate with the investigation.
Learned State counsel opposes the grant of anticipatory bail to
the petitioner on the ground that the petitioner is alleged to have assaulted
and raped the prosecutrix who is a qualified nurse in a hospital at Panchkula;
the prosecutrix's medical report clearly shows an injury on her head; samples
from the prosecutrix's person have been sent for forensic examination; the
petitioner on being asked for blood samples for DNA analysis has refused to
do so and that the petitioner is also involved in another case of fraud and
rape.
Learned counsel for the parties have been heard and with their
able assistance the record of the case has also been perused.
The prosecutrix who is a 25 year old divorcée is presently
serving as a qualified nurse in a hospital at Panchkula. The petitioner who
was known to the prosecutrix, while giving her a lift in his car from Jalandhar
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to Chandigarh is alleged to have initially molested her and when such
molestation was responded to with a slap, he is further alleged to have
assaulted her with an iron rod and then raped her.
The allegations against the petitioner are serious; the medical
evidence shown to this Court clearly reveals an injury on the prosecutrix's
head; the weapon allegedly used by the petitioner to inflict the injury on the
prosecutrix's head is still to be recovered; earlier, the petitioner was also
prosecuted for having raped another lady and a perusal of the judgment of the
trial court in that case shows that he compromised the matter with the
prosecutrix therein on the basis whereof he earned an acquittal; thus, his
antecedents are not found to be clean; he has also refused to cooperate with
the investigation by refusing to give his blood samples for DNA analysis and
that the investigation in the case is still underway.
In the light of the above, the petitioner does not deserve to be
granted the concession of anticipatory bail.
Dismissed.
It is clarified that the above observations have been made only
for the limited purpose of deciding the present anticipatory bail application
and the same would not be construed to be an expression of opinion on the
merits of the case.
23.01.2023 ( DEEPAK SIBAL )
sunil yadav JUDGE
Whether speaking/reasoned : Yes / No
Whether reportable : Yes / No
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