Anganlal Alias Agan Lal v. State of U.P. and Another

Court No. - 73 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION U/S 438 CR.P.C. No. - 11583 of 2023 Applicant :- Anganlal Alias Agan Lal Opposite Party :- State of U.P. and Another Counsel for Applicant :- Arjun Singh Solanki Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Nalin Kumar Srivastava,J.

¶1Heard learned counsel for the applicant, learned A.G.A. for the State and perused the record.

¶2This application has been moved on behalf of the applicant - Anganlal Alias Agan Lal seeking anticipatory bail in Case Crime No.112 of 2023, under Sections 323, 504, 307/34 IPC, Police Station - Sahawar, District - Kasganj.

¶3It is alleged in the FIR that three named accused persons along with two other unknown persons including the present applicant came to the field of the injured and made an assault upon him and co-accused Om Prakash opened fire upon him with intention to kill, who sustained firearm injuries. FIR was lodged on 19.4.2023 and investigation started, which is going on.

¶4It has been argued by the learned counsel for the applicant that applicant is innocent and he has apprehension of arrest in the above-mentioned case, whereas there is no credible evidence against him. Allegations levelled against the applicant are false. Investigation is going on in the matter. It is further submitted that except gunshot injury no other injury has been found on the body of the injured whereas as per the allegations levelled in the F.I.R., all the accused persons had made an assault upon the injured with lathi and danda. Specific role of firing has been assigned to co-accused Om Prakash. It is further submitted that the injured in his statement u/s 161 Cr.P.C. has not even named the applicant as present at the place of occurrence at the time of incident. It is further submitted that the applicant is cooperating with the investigation. He has no criminal history. In the statement of the injured himself, the name of the applicant does not find place. In case applicant is granted anticipatory bail, he shall not misuse the liberty of bail and would obey all conditions of bail.

¶5Learned A.G.A. opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail and submitted that grievous gunshot injury has been sustained by the injured in his abdomen and the injured had undergone with the surgery at Medical College, Aligarh. However, he could not dispute this fact that the injured himself in his statement u/s 161 Cr.P.C. has not named the applicant as present at the place of occurrence.

¶6In Sushila Aggarwal and others vs. State (NCT of Delhi) and another, (2020) 5 SCC 1, the Hon'ble Apex Court has held that while considering an application for grant of anticipatory bail, the court has to consider the nature of the offence, the role of the person, the likelihood of his influencing the course of investigation, or tampering with evidence including intimidating witnesses, llikelihood of fleeing justice, such as leaving the country, etc. It has further been held that Courts ought to be generally guided by considerations such as the nature and gravity of the offences, the role attributed to the applicant, and the facts of the case, while considering whether to grant anticipatory bail, or refuse it. Whether to grant or not is a matter of discretion.

¶7In Siddharth Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh & Another, (2022) 1 Supreme Court Cases 676, the Hon'ble Apex Court has held that personal liberty is an important aspect of our constitutional mandate. The occasion to arrest an accused during investigation arises when custodial investigation becomes necessary or it is a heinous crime or where there is a possibility of influencing the witnesses or accused may abscond. Merely because an arrest can be made because it is lawful does not mandate that arrest must be made. A distinction must be made between the existence of the power to arrest and the justification for exercise of it. If arrest is made routine, it can cause incalculable harm to the reputation and self-esteem of a person. If the Investigating Officer has no reason to believe that the accused will abscond or disobey summons and has, in fact, throughout cooperated with the investigation, then there is no compulsion on the officer to arrest the accused.

¶8Considering the settled principles of law regarding anticipatory bail, submissions of the learned counsel for the parties, nature of accusation, role of applicant and all attending facts and circumstances of the case, without expressing any opinion of the merits of the case, in my view, it is a fit case for anticipatory bail to the applicant till filing of police report under Section 173(2) Cr.P.C. before the competent Court.

¶9The application is allowed accordingly.

¶10In the event of arrest of the applicant, he shall be released on anticipatory bail till filing of police report under Section 173(2) Cr.P.C. before the competent Court on his furnishing a personal bond of Rs.50,000/-with two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of Station House Officer of the police station concerned with the following conditions:-

(i) The applicant shall make himself available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required.

(ii) The applicant shall not directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police office.

(iii) The applicant shall not leave India without the previous permission of the Court and if he has passport, the same shall be deposited by him before the S.S.P./S.P. Concerned.

¶11In case of default of any of the conditions, the Investigating Officer shall be at liberty to file appropriate application for cancellation of interim protection granted to the applicant. Order Date :- 19.10.2023 ss High Court of Judicature at Allahabad