S.B. Criminal Miscellaneous Bail Application No. 326/2025 v. Connected With S.B. Criminal Miscellaneous Bail Application No. 14230/2024

Hanuman Ram S/o Sri Mohan Lal, Aged About 25 Years, R/o Shashi Ki Beri, Faglu Ka Tala, Dhanau P.s., Dist Barmer. (Lodged In Dist Jail, Udaipur) State Of Rajasthan, Through Pp Versus ----Petitioner ----Respondent For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Kishan Lal Vishnoi Mr. Vijay Raj Bishnoi Mr. Ashok Kumar For Respondent(s) : Mr. Shrawan Singh Rathore, PP HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KULDEEP MATHUR Order 29/01/2025 These applications for bail under Section 439 Cr.P.C. have been filed by the petitioners who have been arrested in connection with F.I.R. No.146/2022 registered at Police Station Gogunda, District Udaipur for the offences punishable under Sections 8/15 of NDPS. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Public Prosecutor. Perused the material available on record. Drawing attention of the Court towards the FIR and the statements of the investigating officer- Yogendra Vyas (PW-01) [2025:RJ-JD:5682] (2 of 4) [CRLMB-326/2025] recorded before the competent criminal Court, learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners have been implicated in the present case solely on the basis of suspicion without there being any direct/ circumstantial evidence available on record indicating involvement of the petitioners in commission of alleged crime. Learned counsel submitted that as per the prosecution, on

05.04.2022, a police team of P.S. Gogunda, during routine nakabandi flagged down one pickup vehicle. The driver of the pickup vehicle on seeing police personnel accelerated the speed of the vehicle and after speeding for some time, thereafter fled away by leaving the vehicle in the middle of the road. Upon chasing them, during the search of the vehicle, contraband (poppy husk/straw) weighing

455.370 Kgs. was recovered. Learned counsel submitted that though as per the prosecution, petitioners were the occupants of the offending vehicle but no evidence is present on record to establish that the recovered contraband or the offending vehicle belongs to the present petitioners. Lastly, learned counsel submitted that the petitioners are in judicial custody and the trial of the case will take sufficiently long time, therefore, the benefit of bail may be granted to the accused- petitioners. Per contra, learned Public Prosecutor has vehemently opposed the bail applications. The relevant portion of the cross-examination of the investigating officer (PW-01) is reproduced below for ready reference:- [2025:RJ-JD:5682] (3 of 4) [CRLMB-326/2025] “izdj.k dh i=koyh eq>s fnukad dks 29-10-2022 dks izkIr gqbZ FkhA izdj.k dh i=koyh izkIr dj voyksdu ls vfHk;qDrx.k ds ckjs esa tkudkjh izkIr dhA ftu lhlhVhoh QqVst ds vk/kkj ij vfHk;qDrx.kksa dks fxj¶rkj fd;k mu lhlhVhoh QqVst dh lhMh eSus izkIr ugha dh vt[kqn dgk fd lhlhVhoh QqVst ds QksVks iwoZ vuqla/kku vf/kdkjh }kjk i=koyh esa lyXu fd;s gq,s FksA ;g dguk lgh gS fd iwoZ vuqla/kku vf/kdkjh }kjk izLrqr lhlhVhoh QqVst izkIr fd;s x;s Fks buesa oDr ?kVuk okgu pkyd dkSu Fkk ugha fn[kkbZ ns jgk gSA esjs }kjk VkSyukds ij dk; Zjr fdlh Hkh deZpkjh ds c;ku ys[kc+) ugha fd;s x;s FksA nkSjkus vuqla/kku esjs }kjk oDr ?kVuk okgu pkyd dh igpku ds lEcU/k esa dksbZ igpku ijsM ugha djokbZ FkhA okgu pkyd ds dn] dkBh] gqfy;k ds ckjs esa fdlh Hkh xokg ls dksbZ vuqla/kku ugha fd;k FkkA oDr ?kVuk okgu VkSyukds ls xqtjk gks bl lEcU/k esa VkSy iphZ] QkLVVsd] ds ckjs esa eSjs }kjk dksbZ vuqla/kku ugha fd;k x;k FkkA ftl eksckbZy uEcj ds vk/kkj ij eksguyky dks izdj.k esa vfHk;qDr ekuk oks eksckbZy uEcj eksguyky ds uke ij gks ,slk dksbZ nLrkost i=koyh ij ekStqn ugha gS] mDr eksckby uEcj dh fle o dke esa fy;k x;k eksckbZy dks nkSjkus vuqla/kku tCr ugha fd;k x;k vkSj uk gh mDr eksckbZy fle o eksckbZy eq>s feysA nkSjkus vuqla/kku ,slh dksbZ nLrkosth lk{; ugha feyk Fkk eksguyky dks QkWjoghyj pykuk vkrk gksA izdj.k esa tCr “kqnk okgu dk LokfeRo eksguyky dk gks ,slk dksbZ nLrkost lk{; i=koyh ij ekStqn ugha gSA” Having considered the rival submissions, facts and circumstances of the case so also having perused the statements of the investigating officer (PW-01), this Court prima facie finds sufficient force in the argument of the learned counsel for the petitioners that the petitioners have been implicated in the present case mainly on the basis of suspicion.

This Court further prima facie finds that the contraband was not recovered from the conscious possession of the present petitioners. Thus, without expressing any opinion on merits/demerits of the case, this Court is of the opinion that the bail applications filed by the petitioners deserve to be accepted. Consequently, these bail applications under Section 439 Cr.P.C. are allowed. It is ordered that the accused-petitioners (1) Mohan Lal S/o Mala Ram and (2) Hanuman Ram S/o Sri Mohan Lal arrested in connection with F.I.R. No.146/2022 registered at Police [2025:RJ-JD:5682] (4 of 4) [CRLMB-326/2025] Station Gogunda, District Udaipur shall be released on bail, if not wanted in any other case, provided each of them furnishes a personal bond of Rs.1,00,000/- and two sureties of Rs.50,000/- each, to the satisfaction of learned trial court, for their appearance before that court on each & every date of hearing and whenever called upon to do so till completion of the trial. It is however, made clear that findings recorded/observations made above are for limited purposes of adjudication of bail application. The trial court shall not get prejudiced by the same. A copy of this order be placed in each file. 239-240 divya/- (KULDEEP MATHUR),J