Nafr High Court
Case Details
1 2025:CGHC:27763 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR CRR No. 557 of 2025 1 - “ABC” (Juvenile In Conflict With Law) (Description Of Applicant And The Name Of Legal Guardian Is In Closed Envelope). versus ... Applicant 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Station House Officer, Police Of Police Station Balod, District Balod, Chhattisgarh. ... Respondent
Legal Reasoning
For Applicant For Respondent/State : Mr. G.L. Uike, P.L. : Mr. Anil Gulati, Advocate. Hon'ble Shri Justice Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal Order on Board 25/06/ 202 5 1. The present Revision petition under Section 102 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (for short “the Act, 2015”) has been preferred against the impugned order dated 15.04.2025 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Fast Track Special Court (POCSO), Balod, District- Balod, C.G. in Criminal Digitally signed by HEERA LAL SAHU Date: 2025.06.25 18:10:27 +0530 2 Appeal Case No. 43/2025, upholding the order dated 02.04.2025 passed by the Principal Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board, Balod, District - Balod (C.G.) rejecting the bail application of the applicant in connection with Crime No. 92/2025 registered at Police Station Balod, District – Balod (C.G.) for the offence punishable under Sections 137(2) & 65(1) of B.N.S. and Sections 4 and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. 2. As per the prosecution’s case, the FIR lodged by the mother of the victim alleging therein that on 14.02.2025, the applicant abducted her minor daughter and on 15.02.2025, the victim was found in the company of applicant nearby the river and the victim brought home by her parents whereby she informed that the applicant established physical relationship with her. Based on this, offence has been registered against the present applicant. 3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant has no criminal past, he is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the crime in question. The applicant is aged about 16 years and he is in the observation home since 16.02.2025. He further submits that there is no likelihood that his release would bring him into association with any known criminal or expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger. The learned Court 3 below have in mechanical manner rejected the bail. Considering the provisions of the Act, 2015, the applicant may be released on bail. 4. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State opposes 5. 6. the prayer for the grant of bail and submits that FSL report has not been received. However, the social status report is in favour of the applicant, and he has no criminal antecedents. He also submits that the age of the applicant is 16 years. The father and mother of the victim appeared through video conferencing from the concerned DLSA and raised no objection to grant bail to the applicant. Section 12 of the Act, 2015 makes it absolutely clear that a child alleged to be in conflict with law should be released on bail with or without surety or placed under the supervision of a probation officer or under the care of any fit person. The only embargo created is that in case the release of the child is likely to bring him into association with known criminals or expose the child to moral, physical or psychological danger or where the release of the child would defeat the ends of justice, then bail can be denied. 7. Be that as it may, a social status report was submitted by the concerned Probation Officer states as under:- वि(cid:2)धि(cid:4) से संघ्ቧ(cid:10)रत वि(cid:13)शोर ्ቇाम-टे(cid:13)ापार, " विपता (cid:13)े संर्ቌण में रहता है । वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े परिर(cid:2)ार में माता- थाना (cid:2) जि(cid:24)ला- बालोद में माता- विपता और ए(cid:13) 4 पड़ोस (cid:13)े लोग, म(cid:24)दूरी (cid:13)ा्(cid:10) (cid:13)रते हैं । वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े व््(cid:2)हार (cid:13)ो, विपता दोनों रो(cid:24)ी- गुरूर में (cid:13)्ቌा- वि(cid:13)शोर बड़ी बहन है । माता- ग््ारह(cid:2)ीं में विन्विमत अध्््नरत है शा०उ०मा० वि(cid:2)्ቕाल्, छठ(cid:2)ीं से रह रहा है और शास(cid:13)ी् आविद(cid:2)ासी छा्ቔा(cid:2)ास में विन्विमत (cid:13)्ቌा- वि(cid:13)शोर शिश्ቌ(cid:13), छा्ቔा(cid:2)ास । वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े माता-विपता, आस- आचारण (cid:13)ो अच्छा बता्ा है । इस अ(cid:4)ी्ቌ(cid:13), पड़ोस में गां(cid:2) में (cid:13)हीं भी वि(cid:13)शोर ्ቚ(cid:13)रण (cid:13)े अला(cid:2)ा पू(cid:2)(cid:10) में स्(cid:13)ू ल ्ा आस- (cid:13)ा असामाजि(cid:24)(cid:13) तत्(cid:2)ों (cid:13)े साथ रहने ्ा वि(cid:2)धि(cid:4) वि(cid:2)रू्ሾ (cid:13)ा्(cid:10) नहीं रहा है । पीधिDत बालिल(cid:13)ा वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े आ्ु समूह (cid:13)ी है जि(cid:24)स(cid:13)े साथ दोस्ती थी । वि(cid:13)शोर ने बता्ा है वि(cid:13) पीधिDत बालिल(cid:13)ा (cid:13)े साथ दोस्ती तथा ्ቚेम संबं(cid:4) था फोन पर बातचीत होती थी वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)्ቌा ग््ारह(cid:2)ीं (cid:13)ा विन्विमत छा्ቔ है से 12/03/2025 त(cid:13) जि(cid:24)स(cid:13)ा से (cid:2)ाቧኌ्ቧ(cid:13) परी्ቌा है । ्ቚा्ोविग(cid:13) परी्ቌा और विदनां(cid:13)-18/03/2025 वि(cid:13)शोर विदनां(cid:13)-17/02/2025 वि(cid:13)शोर अपना परी्ቌा देना चाहता है । विपता वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)ो वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े माता- से सं्ቚे्ቌण गृह, दुग(cid:10) (cid:13)े सुर्ቌा में है । अपने संर्ቌण में लेना चाहते हैं । विनधिIत ही वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)ा ्ह पहला अपरा(cid:4) है वि(cid:13)शोर इस अपरा(cid:4) तथा अपरा(cid:4) (cid:13)ी गंभीरता से अनशिभ्ሺ था । लंबे परी्ቌा और मन मቜኌस्त्ቧ(cid:13) सम् त(cid:13) सं्ቚे्ቌण में रहने से वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े (cid:2)ाቧኌ्ቧ(cid:13) परी्ቌा, ्ቚा्ोविग(cid:13) पर वि(cid:2)परीत ्ቚभा(cid:2) पड़ स(cid:13)ता है । परी्ቌा और उस(cid:13)ी तै्ारी वि(cid:13)शोर (cid:13)े स(cid:2)ा(cid:10)गीण वि(cid:2)(cid:13)ास (cid:13)ो देखते हुए (cid:24)मानत (cid:13)ा लाभ देना उधिचत ्ቚतीत होता है ।" वि(cid:13) विदनां(cid:13)-05/03/2025 शिश्ቌा, 8. Thus, a bare perusal of it would show that the conduct of the applicant is not only good, but he is living in disciplinary manner and the child's education is interrupted, and there is a need to reconnect the child with education. Besides, it does not indicate anywhere in the said report that the release of the applicant on bail would bring him in association with any known criminal or expose him to moral, physical or psychological danger or would otherwise defeat the ends of justice. In view thereof, none of the grounds are thus available to reject the application filed under Section 12 of the Act, 2015. The Courts below have, therefore, committed an illegality in rejecting the application de hors the mandate of the Act, 2015. 9. Accordingly, the orders passed by the Additional Sessions 5 Judge and the Juvenile Justice Board are set aside, and the Revision is allowed. It is directed that on furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs.25,000/- by the parents/guardian with one local surety in the like sum to the satisfaction of the concerned Court, for appearance of the applicant as and when directed, the applicant shall be given in custody of the said guardian. Along with the bail bond, copies of the Aadhar Card and coloured Post Card full size photo shall also be submitted by the applicant as well as by the surety, which shall be duly verified by the trial Court. 10. It is observed that the person stands as surety will furnish an undertaking that the applicant shall not come in contact with any bad element and in case, if he is found to be indulged in any unlawful act, the surety/father of the applicant shall inform to the concerned Police Station. Judge Sd/- (Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal) H.L. Sahu