Court No. - 52
Case :- CRIMINAL REVISION No. - 4135 of 2017 Revisionist :- Anit Kumar (Juvenile) Opposite Party :- State Of U.P. And Anr. Counsel for Revisionist :- Sushil Kumar Pandey Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Rajul Bhargava,J.
This revision is directed against the judgment and order dated 5.12.2017 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Court No.1, Moradabad, in Criminal Appeal No.148 of 2017 (Manoj Kumar vs. State of U.P.) and the order dated 30.10.2017 passed by Juvenile Justice Board, Moradabad, in Case No.75 of 2017 (State Vs. Anil Kukar) arising out of case Crime No.724 of 2017, under Sections 366, 376 I.P.C., Police Station Katghar, District Moradabad, rejecting the bail application of the revisionist (juvenile).
Despite service of notice on opposite party no.2 personally , no one has appeared on his behalf.
Heard Sri Sushil Kumar Pandey, learned counsel for the revisionist, as well as learned AGA for the State and perused the impugned orders along with entire material on record.
It is contended by learned counsel for the revisionist that the prosecutrix is aged about 19 years and the revisionist's age has been determined to be 14 years nine months. He has drawn attention of the court to the statement of prosecutrix recorded under Section 164 Cr.P.C. which reflects that in fact the prosecutrix has enticed the revisionist who is juvenile in conflict with law. Lastly it is submitted that the revisionist is in custody since 26.8.2017.
Learned counsel for the revisionist has contended that the revisionist is innocent and has been falsely implicated. It is further contended that the revisionist has been declared juvenile but his bail application has been rejected by the learned Board as well as by learned Sessions Judge in Criminal Appeal without any convincing basis for giving finding that if the revisionist is released he is likely to come into association with several known and unknown criminals and expose them to moral, physical or psychological danger or his release would defeat the ends of justice.
Learned AGA opposed the prayer for bail.
I have considered the submissions made by the parties' counsel and perused the impugned orders passed by the learned courts below along with entire material on record as well as the provisions of the Act.
The provisions of bail to a juvenile is given in Section 12 of the Act.
The said provision provides that a juvenile accused has to be released on bail unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the release is likely to bring him into association with any known criminal or expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger or that his release would defeat the ends of justice. There is no any basis or material which may bring the case of the revisionist within the exceptions provided in Section 12 of the Act.
There is no such substantial material or evidence on record to show that by release on bail, the revisionist would come in association with any known criminal or his release would expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger. There is also nothing very substantial on record to show that the release of the revisionist on bail would defeat the ends of justice.
In these circumstances, the Board was not quite justified in rejecting the bail application of the revisionist. Learned Sessions Judge also does not appear to have considered the provisions of Section 12 of the Act in its proper perspective. Thus, both the impugned orders are not sustainable and are liable to be set-aside.
Accordingly, the revision stands allowed. The order dated 5.12.2017 passed by Additional Sessions Judge, Court No.1, Moradabad, in Criminal Appeal No.148 of 2017 (Manoj Kumar vs. State of U.P.) and the order dated 30.10.2017 passed by Juvenile Justice Board, Moradabad, in Case No.75 of 2017 (State Vs. Anil Kukar) arising out of case Crime No.724 of 2017, under Sections 366, 376 I.P.C., Police Station Katghar, District Moradabad, Fatehpur are set-aside.
The revisionist, Anit Kumar (Juvenile) son of Manoj Kumar, through his father Manoj Kumar, son of Vijendra Singh, resident of Mohalla Kamla Vihar, Baldevpuri Road, Katghar, P.S. Katghar District Moradabad, involved in aforesaid case, be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond through his legal guardian and two sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Board concerned.
Order Date :- 28.2.2018 Hasnain