Ritesh Kumar @ Ritesh Ray v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.22118 of 2025 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-12 Year-2017 Thana- SIKARHATTA District- Bhojpur ====================================================== Ritesh Kumar @ Ritesh Ray S/O Ramakant Ray R/O Village- Labana, P.SSikarahatta, District- Bhojpur. ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Bhaskar Shankar, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr. Nitya Nand Tiwary, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RUDRA PRAKASH MISHRA ORAL ORDER 23-07-2025 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned APP for the State. Perused the case diary.

2. The petitioner seeks bail in connection with Sessions Trial No. 2 of 2019 arising out of Sikarahatta P.S. Case No. 12 of 2017 instituted for the offences under Sections 302, 147, 148, 149 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act.

3. Earlier vide order dated 06.08.2019 passed in Cr. Misc. No. 30984 of 2019 and again vide order dated 23.03.2021 passed in Cr. Misc. No. 35884 of 2020, the prayer for grant of bail to the petitioner was rejected twice. This is the third attempt of the petitioner for grant of bail.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner mainly submitted

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.22118 of 2025(3) dt.23-07-2025 2/3 that the petitioner has been languishing in jail since 27.08.2018 and there is no significant progress in the trial. Learned counsel further submitted that there is no likelihood of conclusion of trial in near future and therefore, petitioner may be released on bail. It has been submitted on behalf of the petitioner that the petitioner has two criminal antecedents.

5. Learned A.P.P. for the State has vehemently opposed the prayer for grant of bail to the petitioner.

6. As per the report dated 03.05.2025 sent by the learned court below, charges have been framed on 01.02.2019 and all the prosecution witnesses have been examined and the prosecution evidence was closed on 06.07.2023. It is further reported that final arguments are being heard and the last date fixed in this case was on 14.05.2025.

7. Having considered the submissions made on behalf of the parties, this Court finds no fresh ground to reconsider the matter which has already been decided on merit by this Court as also taking into account the present stage of trial, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner.

8. Accordingly, the prayer for grant of bail to the petitioner is, hereby, rejected.

9. Learned Trial Court is directed to expedite the trial.

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.22118 of 2025(3) dt.23-07-2025 3/3

10. However, liberty is granted to the petitioner to renew the prayer for grant of bail before the Trial Court if the trial is not concluded within a period of one month from today. (Rudra Prakash Mishra, J) Alok Verma/- U T