RANCHI, India, March 8 -- Jharkhand High Court issued the following order on Feb. 6:

I.A. No. 17084 of 2025

1. Heard Mr. Vishnu Prabhakar Pathak, learned counsel appearing for the appellant and learned A.P.P.

2. This interlocutory application has been preferred by the appellant for condoning the delay of 05 days in filing the appeal.

3. Having been satisfied with the reasons assigned in the instant application, the same is allowed and the delay of 05 days in filing the appeal is hereby condoned.

4. I.A. No. 17084 of 2025 stands disposed of. Cr. A.(DB) No. 107 of 2026

5. This appeal is directed against the order dated 04.11.2025 passed in B.P. No. 396 of 2025 arising out of Latehar P.S. Case No. 236 of 2021 by the learned Additional Sessions Judge-I, Latehar, whereby and where under the prayer for bail of the appellant has been rejected.

6. It has been alleged that there was an exchange of firing between the police personnel and the extremists as a result of which one of the police personnel had suffered injury on his shoulder. The extremists subsequently managed to flee away and on a search conducted, the dead body of an extremist was recovered by the police personnel.

7. Submission has been advanced by the learned counsel for the appellant that the appellant has been implicated only on the basis of suspicion. It has further been submitted that several other co-accused persons similarly situated have been granted bail by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in Criminal Appeal (D.B.) No. 1363 of 2022, Cr. Appeal (D.B.) No. 774 of 2022, Criminal Appeal (D.B.) No. 910 of 2022 and Criminal Appeal (D.B.) No. 864 of 2022. Learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that the appellant is in custody since 26.07.2025.

8. Learned A.P.P. has opposed the prayer for bail of the appellant.

9. Regard being had to the fact that the case of the appellant seems to be similarly situated to that of the co-accused who have been granted bail as noted above, we while setting aside the order dated 04.11.2025 passed in B.P. No. 396 of 2025 arising out of Latehar P.S. Case No. 236 of 2021 by the learned Additional Sessions Judge-I, Latehar direct that the appellant be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rs. Ten Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned CJM, Latehar.

10. Accordingly, this appeal is allowed.

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