Khokan Sarkar v. State Of West Bengal

14.01.2021 Court No.28 rpan / 24 C.R.M. 262 of 2021 (Via Video Conference) In Re:- An application for bail under section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in connection Raiganj P.S. Case No.445 of 2017 dated 28.06.2017 under Sections 448/376 of the Indian Penal Code read with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

And In Re : Khokan Sarkar

...Petitioner.

Ms. Juin Dutta Chakraborty ....for the petitioner.

Ms. Zareen N. Khan, Ms. Sreeparna Das ....for the State.

The learned advocate for the State submits a status report of the case. Let the same be kept on record. The learned advocate for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is in custody for 910 days and there has been no progress in the case in spite of the petitioner languishing in custody for such a considerable period of time. Additionally, the learned advocate submits that the petitioner undertakes to be present in court if he is released on any stringent condition. Ms. Khan, learned advocate appearing for the State, relying upon the status report, so submitted, refers to the fact that only three witnesses are left for examination in the trial. In view of the stage of the case and the fact that earlier a co-ordinate Bench was pleased to reject the prayer for bail of the

petitioner, we are of the view that the petitioner should not be released on bail at this stage.

Accordingly, the prayer for bail of the petitioner is rejected.

The learned trial court is directed to expedite the progress of the trial and conclude the same within a specified period of time.

With the aforesaid observation, CRM No.262 of 2021 is disposed of.

(Tirthankar Ghosh, J.) (Tapabrata Chakraborty, J.)