Mewa Lal v. State of U.P

Court No. - 64 Case :- CRIMINAL MISC. BAIL APPLICATION No. - 45407 of 2023 Applicant :- Mewa Lal Opposite Party :- State of U.P. Counsel for Applicant :- Anil Kumar Dubey Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A. Hon'ble Siddharth,J.

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

¶2There is allegation against the applicant and two co-accused, namely, Rajkaran @ Kota, Hira Lal and Sanju, wife of Raj Karan Verma, that they have caused murder of son of informant, namely, Nand Kishore @ Nandu.

¶3Counsel for the applicant submits that it is a case of false implication. The deceased, Nandu, was having illicit relationship with co-accused, Sanju, wife of Rajkaran @ Kota, deceased was having some monetary relationship with her husband and co-accused, Rajkaran @ Kota. The call details collected by investigating officer which proves that prior to the date of incident the deceased was talking to co-accused, Sanju, on mobile phone.

¶4Counsel for the applicant has further submitted that since the deceased was having illicit affair with co-accused, Sanju, who is wife of Rajkaran @ Kota. When the deceased may have come to the house of Rajkaran he may have been assaulted by him with the help of co-accused, Sanju or alone it is not known. The applicant has nothing to do with their relationship. The call details show that there was relationship between co-accused, Sanju and deceased. The applicant alleges false implication in this case. He is in jail since 24.06.2023 and has no criminal history to his credit.

¶5On the other hand learned A.G.A has opposed the prayer for bail.

¶6Keeping in view the nature of the offence, evidence, complicity of the accused; submissions of the learned counsel for the parties noted above; finding force in the submissions made by the learned counsel for the applicant; keeping view the uncertainty regarding conclusion of trial; one sided investigation by police, ignoring the case of accused side; applicant being under-trial having fundamental right to speedy trial; larger mandate of the Article 21 of the Constitution of India; considering the dictum of Apex Court in the case of Satendra Kumar Antil vs. C.B.I., passed in S.L.P (Crl.) No. 5191 of 2021; considering 5-6 times overcrowding in jails over and above their capacity by the under trials and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the Court is of the view that the applicant has made out a case for bail. The bail application is allowed.

¶7Let the applicant, Mewa Lal, involved in Case Crime No. 163 of 2023, under Sections-302/34 IPC, Police Station-Kotwali, District-Banda, be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned subject to following conditions. Further, before issuing the release order, the sureties be verified.

(i) The applicant shall not tamper with the evidence or threaten the witnesses.

(ii) The applicant shall file an undertaking to the effect that he shall not seek any adjournment on the dates fixed for evidence when the witnesses are present in Court. In case of default of this condition, it shall be open for the Trial Court to treat it as abuse of liberty of bail and pass orders in accordance with law.

(iii) The applicant shall remain present before the Trial Court on each date fixed, either personally or as directed by the Court. In case of his absence, without sufficient cause, the Trial Court may proceed against him under Section 229-A of the Indian Penal Code.

(iv) In case the applicant misuses the liberty of bail during trial and in order to secure his presence, proclamation under Section 82 Cr.P.C. is issued and the applicant fails to appear before the Court on the date fixed in such proclamation then the Trial Court shall initiate proceedings against him in accordance with law under Section 174-A of the Indian Penal Code.

(v) The applicant shall remain present in person before the Trial Court on the dates fixed for (i) opening of the case, (ii) framing of charge and (iii) recording of statement under Section 313 Cr.P.C. If in the opinion of the Trial Court absence of the applicant is deliberate or without sufficient cause, then it shall be open for the Trial Court to treat such default as abuse of liberty of bail and proceed against him in accordance with law.

¶8In case, of breach of any of the above conditions, it shall be a ground for cancellation of bail.

¶9Identity and residence proof of the applicant and sureties be verified by the court concerned before the bonds are accepted. Order Date :- 3.11.2023 Rohit High Court of Judicature at Allahabad