Manju Devi v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.42882 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-345 Year-2021 Thana- TURKAULIYA District- East Champaran ====================================================== 1.

Manju Devi W/O Vyas Manjhi R/O Village- Balganga, Ward No. 14, P.STurkauliya (Raghunathpur O.P.), Distt.- East Champaran. 2.

Virendra Manjhi S/O Vyas Manjhi R/O Village- Balganga, Ward No. 14, P.STurkauliya (Raghunathpur O.P.), Distt.- East Champaran. ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar 2.

XXX W/O XXX R/O Village- Balganga, Ward No. 14, P.S.- Turkauliya (Raghunathpur O.P.), Distt.- East Champaran.

... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Ramakant Yadav For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr. Ajay Kumar Jha ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA ORAL ORDER 08-07-2026 Heard the parties.

2. The petitioners are named in the F.I.R. and apprehending their arrest in connection with Turkauliya (Raghunathpur O.P.) P.S. Case No. 345 of 2021 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 363, 366A, 372/34 of IPC and Section 8 of POCSO Act.

3. As per FIR, all FIR named accused persons including petitioner kidnapped the minor daughter of informant aged about 14 years for the purpose of illicit intercourse/ marriage with another person.

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.42882 of 2026(2) dt.08-07-2026 2/3

4. It is submitted by learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners that specific allegation of kidnapping and rape is against Mukesh Manjhi, whereas this petitioners were implicated only being agnets of coaccused Mukesh Manjhi, as petitioner no. 1 is the cousin aunt of the co-accused Mukesh Manjhi and petitioner no. 2 is the son of petitioner no. 1. It is submitted that similarly situated co-accused namely, Sahodaree Devi @ Sahodaree Manjhi has already granted bail by one of the learned co-ordinate Bench of this Court through Cr. Misc. No. 66464 of 2022 vide order dated 09.05.2023, therefore, as a matter of judicial parity this petitioner also deserves bail. Petitioners claimed clean antecedents.

5. Learned APP opposes the prayer of bail.

6. In view of aforesaid factual submissions and by taking note of fact as prima-facie the thrust of allegation is not available against petitioners, rather they appears implicated only being agnet of main co-accused namely, Mukesh Manjhi, accordingly both above-named

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.42882 of 2026(2) dt.08-07-2026 3/3 petitioners, in the event of their arrest or surrender before the court below within a period of four weeks, are directed to be released on bail, furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned 6th District and Addl sessions Judge cum Exclusive Spl. Judge, POCSO Act, Motihari, East Champaran /concerned Court, where the case is pending in connection with Turkauliya (Raghunathpur O.P.) P.S. Case No. 345 of 2021, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of BNSS.

(Chandra Shekhar Jha, J) Sudha/- U T