Rutik Sureshbhai Panchal vs State Of Gujarat

Nirzar S. Desai, J

Learned advocate Mr. Padhiyar states that he has received instruction to appear for the original complainant and therefore, he may be permitted to file his appearance for the original complainant. Accordingly, learned advocate Mr. Padhiyar is permitted to file his appearance. Registry to accept his vakalatnama.

Rule. Learned APP Mr. Raval waives service of notice of rule for the respondent – State and learned advocate Mr. Padhiyar waives service of notice of rule of the original complainant.

By way of the present application under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the applicant - accused has prayed for anticipatory bail in connection with the FIR bearing No.11195034230159 of 2023 registered with Palanpur (East) Police Station, District Banaskantha for the offences punishable under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC.

Learned advocate for the applicant submits that the nature of allegations are such for which custodial interrogation at this stage is not necessary. He further submits that the applicant will keep himself available during the course of investigation, trial also and will not flee from justice.

Learned advocate for the applicant on instructions states that the applicant is ready and willing to abide by all the conditions including imposition of conditions with regard to powers of Investigating Agency to file an application before the competent Court for his remand. He further submit that upon filing of such application by the Investigating Agency, the right of applicant accused to oppose such application on merits may be kept open. Learned advocate, therefore, submitted that considering the above facts, the applicant may be granted anticipatory bail.

Learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on behalf of the respondent – State has opposed grant of anticipatory bail looking to the nature and gravity of the offence.

Having heard the learned advocates for the parties and perusing the material placed on record and taking into consideration the facts of the case, nature of allegations, gravity of offences, role attributed to the accused, without discussing the evidence in detail, at this stage, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant.

This Court has considered following aspects,

(i) the applicant was protected vide order dated 25.05.2023 passed by the Coordinate of this Court. Today, Investigating Officer is present along with police papers and the police papers prima facie suggests that substantial investigation is over and as per the statement of the victim girl herself, who is aged about 17 years and 2 months, stated that she herself has called present applicant and despite present applicant advising her not to contact him any more, she traveled from Palanpur to Ahmedabad and upon reaching to Ahmedabad, she called present applicant;

(ii) The statement of the victim girl indicates that even upon reaching at Ahmedabad also, present applicant advised her to focus on the carrier and informed family members of the victim girl but it was the victim girl who said for not calling her family members and insisted to stay with the applicant, which prima facie indicates that the applicant is not instrumentally victim girl traveling to Ahmedabad and to stay with him.

(iii) the applicant is young boy aged about 23 years.

(iv) applicant is ready and willing to cooperate with the investigating agency.

In the facts and circumstances of the present case, since the custodial interrogation of the applicant is not required, I am inclined to consider the case of the applicant.

This Court has also taken into consideration the law laid down by the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre Vs. State of Maharashtra and Ors., reported at [2011] 1 SCC 694, wherein the Hon’ble Apex Court reiterated the law laid down by the Constitution Bench in the case of Shri Gurubaksh Singh Sibbia & Ors. Vs. State of Punjab, reported at (1980) 2 SCC 565.

In the result, the present application is allowed. The applicant is ordered to be released on bail in the event of his arrest in connection with FIR No.11195034230159 of 2023 registered with Palanpur (East) Police Station, District Banaskantha on executing a personal bond of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand Only) with one surety each of like amount on the following conditions:

(a) shall cooperate with the investigation and make himself available for interrogation whenever required;

(b) shall remain present at concerned Police Station on 30.06.2023 between 11.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.;

(c) shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the fact of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer;

(d) shall not obstruct or hamper the police investigation and not to play mischief with the evidence collected or yet to be collected by the police;

(e) shall at the time of execution of bond, furnish the address to the investigating officer and the court concerned and shall not change residence till the final disposal of the case till further orders;

(f) shall not leave India without the permission of the concerned trial court and if having passport shall deposit the same before the concerned trial court within a week; and

(g) it would be open to the Investigating Officer to file an application for remand if he considers it proper and just and the learned Magistrate would decide it on merits;

Despite this order, it would be open for the Investigating Agency to apply to the competent Magistrate, for police remand of the applicant. The applicant shall remain present before the learned Magistrate on the first date of hearing of such application and on all subsequent occasions, as may be directed by the learned Magistrate. This would be sufficient to treat the accused in the judicial custody for the purpose of entertaining application of the prosecution for police remand. This is, however, without prejudice to the right of the accused to seek stay against an order of remand, if, ultimately, granted, and the power of the learned Magistrate to consider such a request in accordance with law. It is clarified that the applicant, even if, remanded to the police custody, upon completion of such period of police remand, shall be set free immediately, subject to other conditions of this anticipatory bail order.

At the trial, the concerned trial court shall not be influenced by the prima facie observations made by this Court in the present order.

Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent. Direct service is permitted.