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Supreme Court of India

SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHERversusJAILOR, KONEILA JAIL & ANR.

Citation
2014 INSC 502
Decided
22 July 2014
Disposal
Dismissed

Holding

The petitioner was in lawful judicial custody pursuant to a valid magistrate’s remand order; therefore, no illegal detention existed and the writ of habeas corpus was dismissed.

Summary

Saurabh Kumar was arrested in connection with a land‑dispute case and was produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody under an order dated 1 July 2013. The petitioner filed a writ of habeas corpus under Article 32, alleging illegal detention, police brutality and claiming that no complaint existed against him. The respondents submitted that the petitioner was an accused in a criminal case registered under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 427, 504, 379, 386 of the IPC and Section 27 of the Arms Act, and that his custody was pursuant to a valid remand order. The Supreme Court examined the material, found that the magistrate’s order lawfully placed the petitioner in judicial custody and that he had not applied for bail. Consequently, the Court held that there was no illegal detention and dismissed the writ, directing the petitioner to seek bail from the lower court.

Issues considered

  • Whether the petitioner was in illegal custody warranting the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus

Legislation cited

Subjects

habeas corpusillegal detentionjudicial custodybailcriminal procedureland disputepolice misconductconstitutional rights

Judgment

                    [2014) 8 S.C.R. 909


       SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHER                           A
                               V.
              JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL & ANR.
            {Writ Petition (Crl.) No.147 of 2013)
                       JULY 22, 2014
                                                                  B
         [T.S. THAKUR AND N.V. RAMANA, JJ.)

     Writs - Writ of Habeas Corpus - Detention - Legality -
Whether the petitioner could be said to be in illegal custody
so as to warrant the issue of a writ of Habeas Corpus - Held: C
On facts, No - Petitioner was involved in a criminal case for
which he was arrested and produced before the Judicial
Magistrate and remanded to judicial custody by virtue of an
order passed by the Judicial Magistrate - There was no illegal
detention - However, petitioner at liberty to file application for D
his release in the criminal case pending before the Court of
Judicial Magistrate - Constitution of India, 1950 - Art. 32.

     The petitioner, who was in Koneila Jail, Dalsingsarai,
District Samastipur {Bihar), prayed for grant of a writ of E
habeas corpus u/Art. 32 read with Art.14, 21 & 22 of the
Constitution directing the respondents to produce the
petitioner before the Supreme Court and also to direct the
respondent-State to devise a way to prevent malicious
arrest and detention by the police that too without
maintaining necessary record and further to direct the F
State to pay the petitioner compensation considering that
the detention was a black mark to his career prospects
and future. The petitioner stated that there was no
complaint against him and that he was unnecessarily and
illegally detained by the police.                           G

     Per contra, the respondents contended that the
petitioner was an accused in a criminal case registered

                              909                                 I-
    91 O       SUPREME COURT REPORTS            [2014] 8 S.C.R.

A   under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 427, 504, 379 and 386
    of IPC and under Section 27 of Arms Act and after such
    registration he was arrested and produced before the
    Addi. Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dalsingsarai, District
    Samastipur, Bihar and then he was detained in judicial
9   custody.

        The question which therefore arose for consideration
    before this Court was whether the petitioner could be said
    to be in illegal custody so as to warrant the issue of a writ
    of Habeas Corpus.
c
           Dismissing the writ petition, the Court

           Per Ramana, J.

       HELD:1.1. From the material on record, it is evident
D that there are series of cases pertaining to land disputes
  between the family of the alleged detenu and other
  villagers. Civil cases were filed initially. During the
  pendency of a Suit, the father and mother of the petitioner
  filed a Writ Petition No. 197 ·of 2012 before this Court. In
E the said Writ Petition, this Court has passed various
  orders. A mortgage Suit No. 13/94 was also filed in which
  a decree was obtained against the grandfather of the
  petitioner and thereafter the grandfather of the petitioner
  Banwari Roy has also filed a civil Title Suit bearing T.A.
F No. 17/99 which was dismissed by the Additional District
  and Sessions Judge-I, Samastipur on 1.6.2013., taking
  into consideration the orders passed by this Court. After
  obtaining decree in the Suit for delivery of possession
  Rama Kant Singh has filed Execution proceedings on
G which the Munsif has ordered for police force for the
  delivery of possession which was executed on 3.3.2013
  and thereafter again an incident had taken place on
  1.5.2013. A complaint was given by one Mohan Kumar
  which was registered as FIR P.S. No. 72/13 under
H different Sections of the IPC and under Section 27 of the
   SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHER v.                  911
           JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL

Arms Act. At that point of time, the petitioner was           A
produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Then the Magistrate after examining him, directed to send
him to jail by order dated 1.7.2013 (annexure R.6/3)
[Paras 10, 11 and 12] [916~0; 917-D-E-H]
                                                               8
    1.2. It is thus clear from the narration of facts that the
petitioner is in judicial custody by virtue of an order
passed by the Judicial Magistrate. The same is further
ensured from the Original Record which this Court has,
by order dated 9th April, 2014, called for from the Court
of Additional ~hief Judicial Magistrate, Dalsingsarai, C
District Samastipur, Bihar. Hence, the contention of the
counsel for the petitioner that there was illegal detention
without any case is incorrect. Therefore, the relief sought
for by the petitioner cannot be granted. However, the
petitioner is at liberty to make an application for his D
release in Criminal Case No. 129/13 pending before the
Court of the·Addl. Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dalsingsarai.
[Para 13] [918-D-G]

    Per Thakur, J. [Supplementing]                            E
    HELD:1. Two things are evident from the record.
Firstly, the accused is involved in a criminal case for
which he has been arrested and produced before the
Magistrate and remanded to judicial custody, Secondly,        F
the petitioner does not appear to have made any
application for grant of bail, even when the remaining
accused persons alleged to be absconding and remain
to be served. The net result is that the petitioner
continues to languish in jail. [Para 5] [921-D]
                                                              G
    2. The petitioner cannot be said to be in the unlawful
custody. The record shows that he is an accused facing
prosecution for offences, cognizance whereof has
already been taken by the competent Court. He is
presently in custody pursuant to the order of remand          H
    912       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2014] 8 S.C.R.


A made by the said Court. A writ of Habeas Corpus is, in
  the circumstances, totally mis-placed. Having said that,
  the petitioner could and indeed ought to have filed an
  application for grant of bail which prayer could be
  allowed by the Court below, having regard to the nature
B of the offences allegedly committed by the petitioner and
  the attendant. circumstances. The petitioner has for
  whatever reasons chosen not to do so. He, instead, has
  been advised to file the present petition in this Court
  which is no substitute for his enlargement from custody.
c Also, the Magistrate has acted rather mechanically in
  remanding the accused petitioner to judicial custody
  without so much as making sure that the remaining
  accused persons are quickly served with the process of
  the Court and/or produced before the Court for an early
  disposal of the matter. The Magistrate appears to have
0
  taken the process in a cavalier fashion that betrays his
  insensitivity towards denial of personal liberty of a citizen
  who is languishing in jail because the police have taken
  no action for the apprehension and production of the
  other accused persons. This kind of apathy is regrettable
E to say the least. Also it is difficult to accept the contention
  that the other accused persons who ~II belong to one
  family have absconded. The nature of the offences
  alleged to have been committed is also not so serious as
  to probablise the version of the respondent that the
F accused have indeed absconded. However, the petitioner
   is free to make an application for the grant of bail to the
  Court concerned who shall consider the same no sooner
  the same is filed and pass appropriate orders thereon
  expeditiously. [Para 6] [921-E-H; 922-A-D]
G
        CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION : Writ Petition (Crl.)
    No. 147 of 2013.

          Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.

H         Lily Isabel Thomas for the Appellant.
    SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHER v.                         913
            JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL
   Abhinav Mukerji, Bihu Sharma, Purnima Krishna for the                A
Respondents.

     The Judgments of the Court was delivered by

     N.V. RAMANA, J. 1. This habeas corpus petition is filed
by one Saurabh Kumar who is in Koneila Jail, Dalsingsarai,              B
District Samastipur (Bihar).

      2. In brief the case of the petitioner is that he was XII. pass
and wanted to leave the village in search of a decent job. In
that connection he made an application for passport. On                 C
30.6.2013 the police had called the petitioner to the Police
Station for enquiry on his application for passport and after
reaching inside the police station he was locked up. Thereafter
on 1. 7.2013 early morning, the petitioner was taken to the
residence of one Shri Tripathi, Judicial Magistrate who is              o
arrayed as 6th respondent in this writ petition. There, the
petitioner was beaten with lathi by DSP, Manish Kumar Suman,
who is arrayed as 9th respondent herein, in the presence of
the said Judicial Magistrate and it is also alleged that while
beating he was told that it is a reward for his parents for             E
reporting or complaining against him to the Supreme Court, and
insulted him by stating that low caste people should not become
malik of the land of the upper caste people like mausaji.
Thereafter, the petitioner was taken from the house of the
Judicial Magistrate to the Koneila jail where he is kept under
                                                                        F
detention. The petitioner states that he was unnecessarily and
illegally detained by the police. It is also a further case of the
petitioner that the Judicial Magistrate, Shri Tripathi also caused
prejudice as he is out of vengeance against his parents. When
they approached the local MLA, the MLA contacted the SHO
of Dalsingsarai, District Samastipur, and the police informed           G
the MLA that there is no complaint against the writ petitioner
and they are going to release him but in spite of repeated
requests they have not released him.

     3. Hence, the petitioner prayed for grant of a writ of habeas      H
    914      SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2014] 8 S.C.R.


A corpus u/Art. 32 read with Art.14, 21 & 22 of the Constitution
  of India directing the Respondents to produce the petitioner
  Saurabh Kumar before this Hon'ble Court and also to direct the
  respondent-State to devise a way to prevent malicious arrest
  and detention by the police that too without maintaining
B necessary record and further to direct the State to pay the
  petitioner compensation considering that the detention is a
  black mark to his career prospects and future.

      4. Initially there were eleven persons shown as
C respondents. But later on, the petitioner has withdrawn
  respondent nos. 3 to 11 from the array of parties.

        5. After issuing notice two counter affidavits have been
  filed, one by respondent nos. 1, 2, 7 and 8 and the other by
  the sixth respondent, Tripathi, the Additional Chief Judicial
D Magistrate and Judge In-charge (Administration) Dalsingsarai,
  District Samastipur, Bihar. From these two affidavits, it appears
  that there were land disputes between petitioner's·family and
  one Rama Kant Singh. A Mortgage Suit No. 30/94 was filed
  against Banwari Roy, who is the grand-father of the petitioner
E and obtained a decree against him on 28.2.1997 by the Munsif
  Court. Thereafter, the grandfather of the petitioner preferred
  Title Suit bearing T.A. No. 17/99 against the said Rama Kant
  which was subsequently dismissed by the learned Additional
  District and Sessions Judge-I, Samastipur by order dated
F 1.6.2013.

       6. The said Rama Kant Singh filed an execution case for
  delivery of possession of the land. The Munsif (Civil Judge, Jr.
  Division, Dalsingsarai) ordered for deputing the police force for
  the delivery of the land to the decree-holder. In view of the said
G order, the 6th respondent-Tripathi directed the Nazir, Civil Court,
  Dalsingsarai to execute the decree passed by the learned
  Munsif and on 3.3.2013 the said decree was executed which
  was confirmed by the Munsif by his order dated 15.3.2013.

H         7. Thereafter, one Mohan Kumar filed a complaint before
    SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHER v.                    915
     JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL [N.V. RAMANA, J.]

the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on 29.4.2013 which was A
referred to the police on 1.5.2013 P.S. No. 72/13 and was
registered under Section 147, 148, 149, 323, 427, 504, 379
and 386 of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 27 of the
Arms Act for necessary action and investigation under Section
156(3) Cr.P.C. In the said complaint it is stated that the B
complainant Mohan Kumar was working in his fields of which
possession was handed over by execution of the decree. The
writ petitioner Sumit Kumar alias Saurabh Kumar along with his
family members Banwari Roy, Dinesh Roy, Rekha Devi, Golu
Kumar, armed with lathis, pharsa, pistol beaten Mohan Kumar c
and snatched his wrist watch. It was also further alleged that at
the gun point the petitioner party threatened the complainant
therein to put his thumb impression on a stamp paper. On his
refusal, the petitioner party threatened him to kill. The petitioner
who is shown as accused in the said FIR was arrested in the 0
said case on 30.6.2013. Thereafter, he was produced in the
court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dalsingsarai,
Samastipur on 1. 7.20123. On orders passed by him
 (Annexures R.6/2 and R.6/3), the petitioner was remanded to
judicial custody vide order dated 1.7.2013.
                                                                  E
      8. When the matter came up before this Court, the learned
 counsel appearing for the petitioner Smt. Lily Isabel Thomas
 contended that the petitioner is in illegal custody and sought a
 direction for his release. This Court has pointed out to the
 counsel for writ petitioner about the counter affidavits filed by F
the respondents which show that the petitioner is an accused
 in a criminal case which was registered under Sections 147,
 148, 149, 323, 427, 504, 379 and 386 of IPC and under
 Section 27 of Arms Act and after such registration he was
 arrested and produced before the Addi. Chief Judicial G
 Magistrate, Dalsingsarai, District Samastipur, Bihar and then
 he was detained in judicial custody. However, the counsel
 contended that a direction be given to the jailer-respondent No.
 1 to produce the remand report of the petitioner as that itself
 shows the illegal detention. In spite of this Court's suggestion H
    916       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                 [2014] 8 S.C.R.


A   to tne petitioner's counsel to approach the criminal court for
    obtaining bail, she repeatedly made request for the production
    of order passed by the Judicial Magistrate remanding the
    petitioner to jail.

          9. We have heard the counsel for the State Government
8
    also who made a statement that the allegation made in the
    affidavit is false and the petitioner is an accused in a criminal
    case and therefore he is in judicial custody by virtue of an order
    passed by the Judicial Magistrate and there is no illegal
    detention as alleged by the petitioner.
c
          10. After hearing the counsel and on perusing the affidavits
    and the ·material placed before us, it is evident that there are
    series of cases pertaining to land disputes between the family
    of the alleged detenu and other villagers. Civil cases were filed
D   initially. During the pendency of a Suit; the father and mother
    of the petitioner filed a Writ Petition No. 197 of 2012 before
    this Court. In the said Writ Petition, this Court has passed the
    following orders:

          Order dated 9.5.2013
E
          "Heard Ms. Lily Isabel Thomas, learned counsel for the
          petitioners and perused the record.

          The District Judge, Samastipur, Bihar is directed to pass
F         an appropriate order in the pending appeal within a pe~i.od
          of two weeks from the date of receipt/production of copy
          of this order.

          With the above obseNation, the applications are disposed
          of.
G
          lfany petition is filed by the applicants under Section 144
          C.P.C., then the same may be considered on its own
          merits."

H
   SAURABH. KUMAR "FHROUGH HIS FATHER v.                     917
    JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL [N.V. RAMANA, J.]

    Order dated 7.6.2013                                             A

    "List on 10.6.2013.

    In the meantime and until further orders the petitioners shall
    not b~ dispossessed as the order dated 9.5.2013
                                                                     8
    indicates that this Court had already permitted the
    petitioners to approach the District court for disposal of
    their application. In the meantime, the learned counsel for
    the petitioners has sought protection from dispossession,
    which prayer prima facie app,ears to be reasonable.
    Suitable modification in this regard in the order may be         C
    considered on the next date when the application is listed.
    In the meantime and until 10.6.2013, status quo in the
    matter shall be maintained.

    The order may be given dasti."                                   D
     11. A mortgage Suit No. 13/94 was also filed in which a
decree was obtained against the grandfather of the petitioner
and thereafter the grandfather of the petitioner Banwari Roy has
also filed a civil Title Suit bearing T.A. No. 17/99 which was       E
dismissed by the learned Additional District and Sessions
Judge-I, Samastipur on 1.6.2013., taking into consideration the
orders passed by this Court.

     12. After obtaining decree in the Suit for delivery of
possession Rama Kant Singh has filed Execution proceedings           F
on which the Munsif has ordered for police force for the delivery
of possession which was executed on 3.3.2013 and thereafter
again an incident had taken place on 1.5.2013. A complaint
was given by one Mohan Kumar which was registered as FIR
P.S. No. 72/13 under different Sections of the IPC and under         G
Section 27 of the Arms Act. At that point of time, the petitioner
was produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Then the Magistrate after examining him, directed to send him
to jail by order dated 1.7.2013 (annexure R.6/3) . The said
order reads as under:                                                H
    918       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                 [2014] 8 S.C.R.


A         "Sub Inspector, P.S. Ujiarpur arrested named accused of
          this case, Sumit Kumar @ Saurabh Kumar aged 22 years
          son of Shil Kumar Rai, Village Bhagwanpur Desua, P.S.
          Ujiarpur, District Samastipur and sent Forwarding Report
          to the Court, seeking judicial remand of accused on the
B         basis evidence indicated in the report and arrest memo
          along with reasonable escorting force. Accused has no
          complaint against the escorting force. Nose, Ear, Eye etc.
          of the accused is functional and on query by the Court,
          accused said he is able to defend his case. The accused
c         is remanded in this case and being sent to Up-Kara (Sub-
          Divisional Jail), Dalsinghsarai. Office clerk is directed to
          issue custody warrant.

          Fixed for 15. 7 .2013 for production of accused from jail."

D         13. It is clear from the said narration of facts that the
    petitioner is in judicial custody by virtue of an order passed by
    the Judicial Magistrate. The same is further ensured from the
    Original Record which this Court has, by order dated 9th April,
    2014, called for from the Court of Additional Cl:lief Judicial
E   Magistrate, Dalsingsarai, District Samastipur, Bihar. Hence, the
    contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner that there
    was illegal detention without any case is incorrect. Therefore,
    the relief sought for by the petitioner cannot be granted. Even
    though there are several other issues raised in the Writ Petition,
F   in view of the facts narrated above, there is no need for us to
    go into those issues. However, the petitioner is at liberty to
    make an application for his release in Criminal Case No. 129/
    13 pending before the Court of the learned Addi. Chief Judicial
    Magistrate, Dalsingsarai.
G         14. After the conclusion of hearing, when the matter was
    reserved for judgment and the pronouncement of judgment is
    pending, a Crl.M.P. No. 12866 of 2014 has been filed by the
    writ petitioner seeking reliefs which are not concerned with the
    main prayer. The petitioner has also filed another Crl.M.P. No.
H   14378 of 2014 seeking release of petitioner's mother and
    SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHER v.                     919
            . JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL

grand father. In view of the foregoing discussion and the           A
reasons given in the judgment, the reliefs so sought by the
petitioner in the said Crl.M.Ps. also cannot be granted in the
present habeas corpus writ petition. However, the petitioner is
at liberty to avail remedies as available to him in accordance
with law.                                                           B

    15. Accordingly, the writ petition as well as the Crl.M.Ps.
stand dismissed.

     T.S. ·THAKUR, J. 1. I have had the advantage of going
through the order proposed by my esteemed brother N.V. C
Ramana, J. I entirely agree with the view taken by him that the
petitioner cannot be said to be in illegal custody so as to
warrant the issue of a writ of Habeas Corpus. I would all the
same add a few words of my own to what has already been
stated by my esteemed and erudite brother.                      D

      2. Petitioner's case is that he was called to the police
station on 30th June, 2013 in connection with some enquiry
about the issue of a passport. When he reached the police
station, he was unceremoniously locked up only to be produced       E
before Shri .Tripathi, Judicial Magistrate, Respondent No.6 in
the writ petition, on the following date i..e. 1st July, 2013. He
was, according to the averments in the petition, beaten up with
lathis by one Manish Kumar Suman, DSP arrayed as
respondent No.9 in the writ petition. The beating is alleged to
have taken place in the presence of the Judicial Magistrate as
                                                                    F
a reward for the audacity of the petitioner's parents reporting
against the Magistrate to the Supreme Court. The petitioner
alleges that when his parents approached the local MLA for
help, they were told that there was no complaint against the
petitioner and that he will be released shortly. The detention of   G
the petitioner, in the above circumstances, it is asserted, was
without any lawful justification, whatsoever hence illegal.

    3. The respondents have appeared to file two separate
counter affidavits from which it appears that not only are there    H
    920       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  [2014] 8 S.C.R.


A   disputes between the family members of the petitioner, on the
    one hand, and one Rama Kant Singh, on the other, bµt on the
    complaint of one Mohan Kumar, filed before the Additional
    Chief Judicial Magistrate, the later had passed an order on 29th·
    April, 2013, referring the matter to the police for investigation.
B   Criminal Case No.72 of 2013 was Ol'I that basis registered in
    the police station against the petitioner for offences punishable
    under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 427, 504, 379 and 386 of
    the Indian Penal Code read with Section 27 of the Arms Act.
    The affidavits further reveal that the petitioner was, in connection
c   with the said case, arrested on 30th June, 2013 and produced·
    before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dalsingsarai,
    Samastipur on 1st J1,1ly, 2013 who remanded him to judicial
    custody by an order dated 1st July, 2013. From the original
    record summoned by us for perusal we find that the P.etitioner
D   had been remanded to judicial custody from time to time by the
    Court concerned. In the meantime, a charge sheet was filed
    against the petitioner on 27th August, 2013 followed by a
    subsequent charge-sheet filed against the remaining accused
    persons on 3rd December, 2013. It is also manifest from the
    record that on a perusal of the FIR, charge sheets and the case
E   diaries, the Magistrate has taken cognizance of the offences
    punishable under Sections 147, 148, 149, 323, 447, 504, 379
    and 386 of the l(ldian Penal Code read with Section 27 of the
    Arms Act against the petitioner-Saurabh Kumar, Banwari Rai,
    Dinesh Rai, Rekhad Devi and Golu Kumar in terms of his Order
F   dated 19th December, 2013. The Order passed by the
    Magistrate reads:

          "Accused produced from Jail.

          Perused the FfR charge·sheets and case diary.
G
          After perusal prima facie case is made out against the
          accused (1) Sumit Kumar @ Saurav Kumar, (2) Banwari
          Rai (3) Dinesh Rai, (4) Rekha Devi and (5) Golu Kumar
          U/s 147, 148, 149, 323, 447, 504, 379, 386 IPC with
H         Section 27 of the Arms Act
    SAURABH KUMAR THROUGH HIS FATHER v.                       921
      JAILOR, KONEILA JAIL [T.S. THAKUR, J.]

     Hence cognizance taken against the accused persons in            A
     above sections. The case record is kept in personal file
     for trial and disposal (sic) issue summon to the unappeared
     against persons.

     Produce on 2-01-2014 for production and appearance. "            8
     4. Subsequent orders passed in the case show that the
accused has been produced before the Magistrate concerned
from time to time and remanded to custody, awaiting service
of summons upon the remaining accused persons who are,
according to the affidavits filed by the respondents, absconding.     C

     5. Two things are evident from the record. Firstly, the
accused is involved in'a criminal case for which he has been
arrested and produced before the Magistrate and remanded
to judicial custody, Secondly, the petitioner does not appear         o
to have made any application for grant of bail, even when the
remaining accused persons alleged to be absconding and
;emain to be served. The net result is that the petitioner
continues to languish in jail.

       6. The only question with which we are concerned within        E
 the above backdrop is whether the petitior.er can be said to
 be in the unlawful custody. Our answer to that question is in the
 negative. The record which we have carefully perused shows
 that the petitioner is an accused facing prosecution for
 offences, cognizance whereof has already been taken by the           F
 competent Court. He is presently in custody pursuant to the
 order of remand made by the said Court. A writ of Habeas
 Corpus is, in the circumstances, totally mis~placed. Having said
 that, we are of the view that the petitioner. C()Uld and indeed
 ought to have filed an application for grant ()f bail which prayer   G
 GQuld be allowed by the Court below, having regard to. th~ nature
,of the offences allegedly committe~ ~y.the petitioner and the
 attendant circumstances. The petitioner has for whatever
 reasons chosen not to do so. He; instead, has been advised
 to file the present petition in this Court which is no substitute    H
    922       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  [2014] 8 S.C.R.


A   for his enlargement from custody. We are also of the view that
    the Magistrate has acted rather mechanically in remanding the
    accused petitioner herein to judicial custody without so much
    as making sure that the remaining accused persons are quickly
    served with the process of the Court and/or produced before
B   the Court for an early disposal of the matter. The Magistrate
    appears to have taken the process in a cavalier fashion that
    betrays his insensitivity towards denial of personal liberty of a
    citizen who is languishing in jail because the police have taken
    no action for the apprehension and production of the other
C   accused persons. This kind of apathy is regrettable to say the
    least. We also find it difficult to accept the con.tention that the
    other accused persons who all belong to one family have
    absconded. The nature of the offences alleged to have been
    committed is also not so serious as to probablise the version
    of the respondent that the accused have indeed absconded.
0
    Suffice it to say that the petitioner is free to make an application
    for the grant of bail"to the Court concerned who shall consider
    the same no sooner the same is filed and pass appropriate
    orders thereon expeditiously.

E       7. With the above observations I agree with the order
    proposed by my esteemed brother N.V. Ramana, J.
    Bibhuti Bhushan Bose                          Wtit Petition dismissed.


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