Virsingbhai Kamjibhai Damor vs State Of Gujarat

Divyesh A. Joshi, J

The present application is filed under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, for regular bail in connection with the FIR being C.R. No.11187009210103/2021 registered with the Santrampur Police Station, Mahisagar for the offence punishable under Sections 498(A), 306 and 114 of the Indian Penal Code.

Learned advocate for the applicant submits the so-called incident has occurred on 23.02.2021 and on the very same day i.e. on 23.02.2021, the FIR has been lodged and the applicant has been arrested on 17.07.2023 and since then, he is in judicial custody. It is submitted that the investigation is completed and after submission of the chargesheet, the present application has been preferred. It is submitted that the applicant is the father-in-law.

It is also submitted that FIR has been lodged against total 3 accused persons, wherein vague and general allegations are leveled and identically situated co-accused have already been enlarged on bail by the Coordinate Bench of this Court. It is, therefore urged that on the ground of parity, the present applicant may be enlarged on regular bail by imposing suitable conditions.

Learned APP for the respondent-State has opposed grant of regular bail looking to the nature and gravity of the offence. It is submitted that the present applicant has made serious allegations against the character of the victim and span of marriage life is less than 5 years. It is, therefore, urged that the present application may not be entertained.

Learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties do not press for further reasoned order.

I have heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the respective parties and perused the papers of the investigation and considered the allegations levelled against the applicant and the role played by the applicant. It is found out from the record that the present applicant was working in the Forest Department and the present application is preferred after submission of the chargesheet and now the investigation is completed and the applicant is in jail since July, 2023 and other co-accused, whose role is identical in nature, have already been enlarged on bail by the Coordinate Bench of this Court. Therefore considering the above factual aspects of the matter, the present application deserves to be allowed.

This Court has also taken into consideration the law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra v. Central Bureau of Investigation, reported in [2012] 1 SCC 40 as well as in case of Satender Kumar Antil v. Central Bureau of Investigation & Anr. reported in (2022) 10 SCC 51.

In the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the nature of the allegations made against the applicant in the FIR, without discussing the evidence in detail, prima facie, this Court is of the opinion that this is a fit case to exercise the discretion and enlarge the applicant on regular bail.

Hence, the present application is allowed. The applicant is ordered to be released on regular bail in connection with the FIR being C.R. No.11187009210103/2021 registered with the Santrampur Police Station, Mahisagar on executing a personal bond of Rs.15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Thousand only) with one surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court and subject to the conditions that he shall;

[a] not take undue advantage of liberty or misuse liberty;[b] not act in a manner injuries to the interest of the prosecution;

[c] surrender passport, if any, to the lower court within a week;

[d] not leave the State of Gujarat without prior permission of the Sessions Judge concerned;

[e] mark presence before the concerned Police\ Station on alternate Monday of every English calendar month for a period of six months between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.;

[f] furnish the present address of residence to the Investigating Officer and also to the Court at the time of execution of the bond and shall not change the residence without prior permission of this Court;

The authorities will release the applicant only if he is not required in connection with any other offence for the time being. If breach of any of the above conditions is committed, the concerned Sessions Judge concerned will be free to issue warrant or take appropriate action in the matter. Bail bond to be executed before the lower Court having jurisdiction to try the case. It will be open for the concerned Court to delete, modify and/or relax any of the above conditions, in accordance with law.

At the trial, the trial Court shall not be influenced by the observations of preliminary nature qua the evidence at this stage made by this Court while enlarging the applicant on bail.

The present application stands allowed accordingly. Direct service is permitted.