Somnath Bera v. The Superintendent Of Police Kharagpur Grp District
AD 24 September 1, 2025 Ct. 28 SG CRM(A) 2522 of 2025 Allowed An application for anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 in connection with Kharagpur GR P.S. Case No.157 of 2024 dated 16.08.2024 under Section 143 of the BNS, 2023 and Section 14 of Child Labour (Protection and Regulation) Act. And In the matter of:
Somnath Bera ... petitioner Mr. Subir Ahmed Mr. Bhaskar Hutait ... for the petitioner Mr. Ranadeb Sengupta Ms. Dhanasree Biswas ... for the State Report filed by the State is taken on record. Heard learned counsels for the parties.
It is a prosecution case that under age boys were found travelling to Nellore for work. However, it appears from the statements of the alleged minor victims that they were voluntarily going to such place.
Considering the materials available in the case diary and the alleged role ascribed to the present petitioner, I do not find that custodial interrogation of the petitioner is required in this case and I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner.
In the event of arrest, the petitioner shall be released on bail upon furnishing a bond of Rs.10,000/- (rupees ten thousand) with two sureties of like amount each, one of whom must be local, to the satisfaction of the Arresting Officer and also be subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 corresponding to Section 482(2) of the BNSS, 2023 and on the further conditions that the petitioner shall cooperate with the investigation, shall meet the investigating officer once a week till submission of report in final form, shall stay outside the jurisdiction of Chandipur Police Station except for meeting the investigating officer or attending the jurisdictional court for a period of six months and shall not threaten or intimidate witnesses.
The application for anticipatory bail is, thus, allowed. Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance of requisite formalities.
(Jay Sengupta, J.)