Pankaj Kumar @ Pankaj Kumar Ranjan v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No. 19213 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-197 Year-2024 Thana- TEGHRHA District- Begusarai ====================================================== Pankaj Kumar @ Pankaj Kumar Ranjan S/O Ashok Mahto R/O Village - Gaura Ward No.- 02, P.S- Teghra, District- Begusarai Bihar ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar 2.

Anisha Devi W/o- Shiv Shankar Mishra Vill- MArasaiti Ward No. 07, POTeghra Dist- Begusarai ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Ashok Kumar Garg, Advocate For the State :

Mr. Brajendra Nath Pandey, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PRAVEEN KUMAR ORAL ORDER 18-05-2026 The matter has been taken up today through video conferencing.

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned APP for the State. Although notices have been validly served upon O.P. No. 2, there is no representation on his/her behalf.

3. The Petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Teghra P.S. Case No. 197 of 2024 registered for the offence punishable under Section 366-A of IPC.

4. As per the prosecution case, the petitioner is alleged to have kidnapped the minor daughter of the informant for the purpose of marriage.

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No. 19213 of 2026(4) dt.18-05-2026 2/3

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that petitioner is innocent and has falsely been implicated in this case. It has been further submitted that the statement of the victim recorded under Section 183 of the BNSS, which was called for by the order dated 06.04.2026 indicates that the victim was in a love relationship with the petitioner and had joined the company of the petitioner out of her own free will. Learned counsel for the petitioner has further submitted that the petitioner and the victim solemnized marriage with each other, and a child was born out of their wedlock.It has also been submitted that there was no element of "enticing away" or "taking away" as provided under Section 137 (2) of the BNS. Moreover, as per the school certificate, it is evident that the age of the victim is 17 years and eight months, which shows that she was on the verge of attaining majority and she was not of such tender age so as to not understand the consequences of her action. Lastly, it has been submitted that the petitioner has got no criminal antecedents.

6. Learned A.P.P. for the State has vehemently opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioner.

7. Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case particularly the statement of the victim recorded

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No. 19213 of 2026(4) dt.18-05-2026 3/3 under Section 183 of the BNSS, let the above named petitioner, in the event of his arrest/surrender within a period of six weeks from today, be enlarged on anticipatory bail on furnishing bailbond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned court concerned, Begusarai, in connection with Teghra P.S. Case No. 197 of 2024, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the Bharitya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (B.N.S.S.)

8. This application stands allowed.

(Praveen Kumar, J) Jyoti/- U T