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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
cancellation of bail not necessary as the high court properly imposed conditions on bail-Taking note of all these aspects, particularly, the fact that the second respondent was in jail since 24.08.2009, the trial has commenced by examining the two witnesses on the side of the prosecution and the assurance by the State that trial will not be prolonged and conclude within a reasonable time and also of the fact that the High Court while granting bail has imposed several conditions for strict adherence during the period of bail, we are not inclined to interfere with the order of the High Court. In fact, in the impugned order itself, the High Court has made it clear that in case of breach of any of the conditions, the trial Court will have liberty to take steps to send the applicant therein (respondent No.2 herein) to jail again. In addition to the same, it is further made clear that if the appellant receives any fresh threat from the second respondent or from his supporters, he is free to inform the trial Court and in such event the trial Court is free to take appropriate steps as observed by the High Court. We also direct the Trial Court to complete the trial within a period of four months from the date of the receipt of copy of this order without unnecessary adjournments.
REPORTABLE 
                                                                     
               IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
              CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
          CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 159           OF 2012
        (Arising out of S.L.P. (Crl.) No. 10244 of 2010)
Maulana Mohd. Amir Rashadi                                  .... Appellant(s)
            Versus
State of U.P. & Anr.                                        .... Respondent(s)
                                                               
                            J U D G M E N T
P.Sathasivam,J.
1)    Leave granted.
2)    This   appeal   is   directed   against   the   final   judgment   and 
order   dated   06.08.2010   passed   by   the   High   Court   of 
Judicature at Allahabad in Criminal Misc. Bail Application No. 
28420   of   2009   whereby   the   High   Court   has   granted   bail   to 
Mr.   Ramakant   Yadav   -   respondent   No.2/accused   in   Case 
Crime No. 622 of 2009, FIR No. 63 of 2009 under Sections 302 
                                                                                  1
 
and 307 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (in short `IPC'), Police 
Station Phoolpur, District Azamgarh, U.P. 
3)     Brief facts:
(a)    According   to   the   appellant,   he   is   the   President   of   a 
political   party,   namely,   Rashtriya   Ulema   Council.   On 
12.08.2009, a meeting of the Party was to be held at Phoolpur, 
District Azamgarh, U.P. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and he was to 
attend the said meeting in the capacity of Chief Guest.  
b)     At   about   1.45   p.m.,   the   appellant   started   towards   the 
venue of the meeting and his convoy was being led by 10 to 15 
supporters   who   were   riding   on   motorcycles.   At   that   moment, 
the   second   respondent/accused   came   from   behind   in   the 
convoy   of cars   and  immediately  after   crossing   the   appellant's 
car   and   his   supporters,   the   convoy   of   cars   belonging   to   the 
second   respondent/accused   suddenly   stopped   on   the   road 
without giving any signal and the second respondent/accused 
came   out   of   his   vehicle   armed   with   a   gun   along   with   his 
supporters   who   were   also   carrying   guns   and   they   started 
giving kick blows to one of the motorcycle riders who fell down 
and the pillion riders of the said motorcycles were fired upon 
                                                                              2
 
by   the   second   respondent   and   his   supporters   from   their 
respective guns and thereafter, they ran away from the place. 
Adbul   Rehman-the   pillion   rider   sustained   serious   fire   arm 
injuries.    When  he  was  taken   to  the   hospital   at  Varanasi,  he 
succumbed to his injuries.  
c)    On the basis of a written complaint in the Police Station, 
Phoolpur, FIR No. 63 of 2009 under Sections 302 and 307 IPC 
was registered.    The second respondent  was arrested  only on 
24.08.2009.     It   was   further   stated   by   the   appellant   that   the 
accused is a habitual criminal and has a criminal background 
having more than three dozen cases involving serious offences 
against   him.     The   second   respondent   filed   a   Criminal   Bail 
Application   being   No.   28420   of   2009   before   the   High   Court 
praying for his release.   The appellant filed his objection.   He 
also   highlighted   that   from   14.08.2009,   the   appellant   started 
receiving   threatening   calls   from   the   second   respondent 
warning   him   not   to   pursue   the   case   otherwise   he   shall   be 
eliminated.  
d)    On completion of the investigation, charge sheet was filed 
on   15.07.2010   against   respondent   No.2   and   three   other 
                                                                              3
 
persons   under   Sections   302,   307   and   325   read   with   34   IPC 
and   the   trial   of   the   case   has   been   started   by   examining   the 
injured   witness   -   Farhan   as   PW-1   on   29.04.2010   and 
15.07.2010.  
e)     Pending   proceeding   of   the   trial,   the   High   Court,   by 
impugned order dated 06.08.2010, granted conditional bail to 
the second respondent.   Questioning the same and of the fact 
that the appellant had received several threat calls, he filed the 
present appeal for setting aside the same. 
4)     Heard   Mr.   Jaspal   Singh,   learned   senior   counsel   for   the 
appellant   and   Mr.   Basava   Prabhu   S.   Patil,   learned   senior 
counsel for the contesting second respondent.  
5)     The only point for consideration in this appeal is whether 
the   High   Court   was   justified   in   enlarging   the   second 
respondent on bail after imposing certain conditions. 
6)     It   is   not   in   dispute   and   highlighted   that   the   second 
respondent   is   a   sitting   Member   of   Parliament   facing   several 
criminal cases.  It is also not in dispute that most of the cases 
ended   in   acquittal   for   want   of   proper   witnesses   or   pending 
trial.     As observed   by  the  High  Court,   merely  on the   basis  of 
                                                                                4
 
criminal   antecedents,   the   claim   of   the   second   respondent 
cannot be rejected.  In other words, it is the duty of the Court 
to find out the role of the accused in the case in which he has 
been   charged   and   other   circumstances   such   as   possibility   of 
fleeing away from the jurisdiction of the Court etc.  
7)    In   the   case   relating   to   FIR   No.   63   of   2009,   he   was 
arrested   and   in   jail   since   24.08.2009.     Another   important 
aspect   is   that   after   filing   of   charge-sheet   on   15.07.2010, 
prosecution examined two important witnesses as PWs 1 and 
2.     This   was   the   position   prevailing   on   26.07.2010.     Even 
thereafter,   now   more   than   a   year   has   rolled.     Counsel 
appearing   for   the   State   assured   that   the   trial   will   not   be 
prolonged   at   the   instance   of   the   prosecution   and   ready   to 
complete   the   evidence   within   a   period   to   be   directed   by   this 
Court.  The other objection of the appellant for grant of bail is 
that he had received threats from the second respondent and 
his   supporters   warning   him   not   to   pursue   the   case   against 
him.     It   is   brought   to   our   notice   that   based   on   the 
representations   of   the   appellant,   adequate   protection   had 
already been provided to him. 
                                                                               5
 
8)     Taking   note   of   all   these   aspects,   particularly,   the   fact 
that  the   second  respondent   was  in  jail  since   24.08.2009,   the 
trial   has   commenced   by   examining   the   two   witnesses   on   the 
side   of   the   prosecution   and   the   assurance   by   the   State   that 
trial   will   not   be   prolonged   and   conclude   within   a   reasonable 
time   and   also   of   the   fact   that   the   High   Court   while   granting 
bail has imposed several conditions for strict adherence during 
the   period   of   bail,   we   are   not   inclined   to   interfere   with   the 
order of the High Court.   In fact, in the impugned order itself, 
the High Court has made it clear that in case of breach of any 
of the conditions, the trial Court will have liberty to take steps 
to   send   the   applicant   therein   (respondent   No.2   herein)   to   jail 
again.  In addition to the same, it is further made clear that if 
the   appellant   receives   any   fresh   threat   from   the   second 
respondent   or   from   his   supporters,   he   is   free   to   inform   the 
trial   Court   and   in   such   event   the   trial   Court   is   free   to   take 
appropriate   steps   as   observed   by   the   High   Court.     We   also 
direct   the   Trial   Court   to   complete   the   trial   within   a   period   of 
four months from the date of the receipt of copy of this order 
without unnecessary adjournments.
                                                                                   6
 
9)      With   the   above   observation,   finding   no   merit   for 
interference   with   the   order   of   the   High   Court,   the   appeal   is 
dismissed.      
  
         
                                        ...........................................J. 
                                          (P. SATHASIVAM)   
                                                                                                
                                         ...........................................J. 
                                         (J. CHELAMESWAR)    
                                                                                                                           
NEW DELHI;
JANUARY 16, 2012.
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