Cr.A(SJ)/847/2026 of CHINTA DEVI Vs THE STATE OF JHARKHAND on 1 October 2026

1. Criminal Appeal (S.J) No.847 of 2026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI Criminal Appeal (S.J) No.847 of 2026 ----

1. Chinta Devi, aged about- 61 years, W/o Bhuneshwar Saw, R/o village- Bhagwaniya (Firandi) P.O. & P.S.- Sadar, Dist. Chatra, Jharkhand.

2. Gudiya Devi @ Sabita Devi, aged about- 35 years, W/o Pramod Kumar Saw, R/o Village- Bhagwaniya (Firandi) P.O. & P.S.- Sadar, Dist. Chatra, Jharkhand.

3. Basanti Devi @ Basanti Kumari, aged about- 27 yrs, W/o- Bharat Saw, R/o village- Bhagwaniya (Firandi) P.O. & P.S.- Sadar, Dist. Chatra, Jharkhand.

…. …. Appellants -Versus-

1. The State of Jharkhand

2. Rameshwar Rajak, S/o Late Sukhlal Rajak, R/o village- Bhagwaniya P.O. & P.S.- Sadar, Dist. Chatra, Jharkhand.

…. …. Respondent(s) ---- CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR ----

For the Appellants

: Mr. Binod Kr. Dubey, Advocate

For the State

: Mr. Sardhu Mahto, A.P.P

For the Respondent No.2 : Mr. Surya Harsh Mishra, Advocate

Mr. Jawed Salim, Advocate

----

03/Dated: 01.10.2026

1. Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

2. The present criminal appeal has been filed under Section 14 A (2) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 for grant of anticipatory bail though the same bars under Section 18 of the SC/ST (PoA) Act. The present appeal has been filed against the order dated 03.07.2026 passed in A.B.P. No. 964 of 2024 by the learned Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Chatra in connection with SC/ST P.S. Case No.06 of 2025, registered for the offence under Sections 126(2), 115(2), 117(2), 109, 303(2), 324(4), 352, 351(2), 3(5) of the BNS, 2023 and under Section 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case is now pending in the court of learned A.D.J.-1st, Chatra.

3. It has been submitted by the learned counsel for the appellants that the appellants are female. There was a neighbourhood dispute between the

( 2026:JHHC:29568 )

2. parties. The allegation is against the male members and only to misuse the protective provision of SC/ST (PoA) Act, female members have been roped in.

4. Learned counsel for the victim has opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the appellants and has submitted that the offence under SC/ST Act has been made out. Thus, Section 18 of the said Act gets attracted.

5. Considering the fact that the appellants are female, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the appellants. Accordingly, the appellants, named above, are directed to surrender in the trial court within four weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order, and in the event of their arrest or surrender, they shall be enlarged on anticipatory bail, on their furnishing bail bond of Rs.10,000/- (Rs. Ten Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each, to the satisfaction of learned A.D.J.-1st, Chatra in connection with SC/ST P.S. Case No.06 of 2025, on the conditions as laid down under Section 482 of the B.N.S.S., 2023. Further, the appellant(s) will submit self-attested photocopy of their Aadhaar Card(s) and also submit their mobile number(s) before the learned trial court which they will always keep active and will not change it without prior permission of the court, till conclusion of the case.

6. In the result, the present criminal appeal stands allowed and accordingly disposed of.

(Rajesh Kumar, J.) Dated: 01.10.2026 Vedanti/ Uploaded on 05.10.2026