Gauri Shankar Mandal v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.55934 of 2025 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-197 Year-2021 Thana- SAMASTIPUR COMPLAINT CASE District- Samastipur ====================================================== GAURI SHANKAR MANDAL S/o- Paltan Mandal Resident of VillageDahiyar, Police Station- Hathauri, District -Samastipur ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar Bihar 2.

Soni Devi W/o- Gauri Shankar Mandal Village- Dahiyar Ps- Hathauri DistSamastipur, A/P- Shadipur Ps- Khanpur Dist- Samastipur ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr.Kundan Kumar For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr.Pradeep Narain Kumar For the the Informant :

Mr. Abhay Kumar ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA PRAKASH SINGH ORAL ORDER 04-11-2025 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the informant as well as learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.

2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in a case in connection with CR Case No. 197 of 2021 registered for the offence/s punishable u/ss 323, 504, 498A read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and 3⁄4 of the DP Act.

3. As per the prosecution case, the petitioner and the coaccused persons are alleged to have tortured the informant mentally and physically due to non-fulfillment of demand of dowry.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.55934 of 2025(3) dt.04-11-2025 2/3 the petitioner is innocent and has falsely been implicated in this case. The petitioner is the husband of the informant. The petitioner neither demanded any dowry nor tortured the informant. There is general and omnibus allegation against the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon the judgment of this Court in the case of "Md. Naimul Haque Ansari @ Naimul Haque Ansari & Ors. Vs. The State of Bihar, reported in 2006(3) PLJR 182." Learned counsel has further submitted that Section 498A of the IPC is triable by the Magistrate. Learned counsel has further relied on the judgments in the case of Satendra Kumar Antil Vs. Central Bureau of Investigation and Another (2022) 10 SCR 351 and Md. Asfak Alam Vs. The State of Jharkhand & Anr passed in Criminal Appeal No(s). 2207 of 2023 arising out of Special Leave Petition (CRL.) No. 3433 of 2023. The petitioner has no criminal antecedent as stated at para 3 of the bail petition.

5. Learned counsel for the informant as well as learned A.P.P. for the State has vehemently opposed the anticipatory bail petition of the petitioner by submitting that the petitioner has already contracted second marriage with another woman.

6. Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case as well as the allegation being general and omnibus, let the above named petitioner, in the event of his arrest/surrender

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.55934 of 2025(3) dt.04-11-2025 3/3 within a period of six weeks from today, be enlarged on bail on furnishing bail-bond of Rs. 20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned court concerned, Samastipur in connection with CR Case No. 197 of 2021, subject to conditions as laid down under section 482(2) of the BNSS, with further condition/s:- (i) The petitioner is directed to remain physically present before the learned Court below on each and every date, failing which on two consecutive dates without reasonable cause, the bail bond of the petitioner is liable to be cancelled.

7. If so advised, either of the parties will be at liberty to make an application before the Court below for referring the matter to the District Mediation Centre for the purpose of reconciliation or one time settlement.

8. The application stands allowed.

(Chandra Prakash Singh, J) guddukr/- U T