Geeta Devi v. State of U.P. and Another

Court No. - 72 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC ANTICIPATORY BAIL APPLICATION U/S 438 CR.P.C. No. - 9817 of 2023 Applicant :- Geeta Devi Opposite Party :- State of U.P. and Another Counsel for Applicant :- Brijesh Kumar Mishra Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Krishan Pahal,J.

¶1Heard Sri Brijesh Kumar Mishra, learned counsel for the applicant and Sri Sunil Kumar, learned A.G.A. for the State as well as perused the record.

¶2The present anticipatory bail application has been filed on behalf of the applicant in Case Crime No. 37 of 2023, under Sections 366, 120-B of IPC, Police Station Bhatpar Rani, District Deoria, with a prayer to enlarge her on anticipatory bail.

¶3At the very outset, learned counsel for the applicant has claimed parity with the co-accused Geeta Devi w/o Rakesh Prasad, who has already been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in Criminal Misc. Anticipatory Bail Application u/s 438 Cr.P.C. No.10525 of 2023 vide order dated 19.09.2023. Since the case of the applicant is at par with the co-accused who has already been granted anticipatory bail, the applicant is also entitled for the same on the ground of parity. Learned counsel has also stated that the applicant has no criminal history.

¶4The prayer for anticipatory bail has been vehemently opposed by learned AGA. However, the aforesaid factual aspects of the parity to the co-accused and also the fact of no criminal history assigned to the applicant, have not been disputed by him.

¶5Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, submissions made by learned counsel for the parties, the judgement passed by this Court in Nanha S/o Nabhan Kha vs. State of U.P., 1993 Crl.L.J. 938 and the judgement passed by the Apex Court in Paras Ram Vishnoi vs. The Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, MANU/SCOR/22410/2021, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the Court is of the view that the applicant is entitled to be granted anticipatory bail in this case. The bail application is allowed on the ground of parity.

¶6In the event of arrest of the applicant, Geeta Devi W/o Gautam involved in the aforesaid case crime number, shall be released on anticipatory bail till the conclusion of trial on furnishing a personal bond with two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Presiding Officer/Court Concerned, with the conditions that:- i. that the applicant shall make herself available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required; ii. that 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 from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer or tamper with the evidence; iii. that the applicant shall not leave India without the previous permission of the court; iv. that in case, the charge-sheet is submitted, the applicant shall not tamper with the evidence during the trial; v. that the applicant shall not pressurize/ intimidate the prosecution witness; vi. that the applicant shall appear before the trial court on each date fixed unless personal presence is exempted;

¶7In case of breach of any of the above conditions, the court concerned shall have the liberty to cancel the anticipatory bail of the applicant.

¶8It is made clear that observations made in granting anticipatory bail to the applicant shall not in any way affect the learned trial Judge in forming his independent opinion based on the testimony of the witnesses. (Justice Krishan Pahal) Order Date :- 1.11.2023 Siddhant High Court of Judicature at Allahabad