Jharilal Mahto vs Union Of India on 10 April, 2026

Supreme Court – Daily Orders

Jharilal Mahto vs Union Of India on 10 April, 2026

                                     IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

                                    CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION


                                CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.           OF 2026
                                     (@ SLP(Crl.) No. 1979/2026)


                         JHARILAL MAHTO                    Petitioner(s)


                                               VERSUS


                          UNION OF INDIA                   Respondent(s)



                                                WITH


                                CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.           OF 2026
                                     (@ SLP(Crl.) No. 3199/2026)




                                CRIMINAL APPEAL NO.           OF 2026
                                     (@ SLP(Crl.) No. 4148/2026)




                                               O R D E R

SLP(Crl.) No. 1979/2026 & SLP(Crl.) No. 3199/2026:

1. Leave granted.

Signature Not Verified

SPONSORED

Digitally signed by
SWETA BALODI
Date: 2026.04.11
12:56:44 IST

2. The appellants – Jharilal Mahto and Manoj Kumar
Reason:

Choudhary have been arraigned as an accused in

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connection with Special NIA Case No.5/2018, RC

Case No.19/2018/NIA/DLI arising out of P.S.

Dumri (Giridih) Case No.26/2018 for the offences

punishable under Sections 141, 121-A, 124-A,

120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Sections

25(1AA), 25(1B)(a), 26 and 35 of the Arms Act,

1959, Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive

Substances Act, 1908, Section 17 of the Criminal

Law Amendment Act, 1908 as well as Sections 13,

16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the Unlawful

Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

3. Admittedly, the appellant – Jharilal Mahto has

been under incarceration for about 7 years and 9

months and the appellant – Manoj Kumar Choudhary

has been under incarceration for nearly 6 years.

4. We have been informed that the defence witnesses

are yet to be examined. Needless to state that

the appellants must cooperate with the conduct

and completion of the trial, particularly, when

the prosecution witnesses have already been

examined.

5. Accordingly, we are setting aside the impugned

orders, purely, on the ground of period of

incarceration undergone by the appellants with a

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direction to the Trial Court to complete the

examination of defence witnesses within a period

of three months.

6. In such view of the matter, the impugned orders

stand set aside, and the appellants are granted

bail, subject to the terms and conditions that

may be imposed by the concerned Trial Court.

7. The appeals are allowed, accordingly.

8. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand

disposed of.

SLP(Crl.) No. 4148/2026:

1. Leave granted.

2. The appellant – Manoj Kumar Choudhary has been

arraigned as an accused in connection with

Special NIA Case No.06/2018, RC Case

No.21/2018/NIA/DLI arising out of P.S. Dumri

(Giridih) Case No.06/2018 for the offences

punishable under Sections 120-B and 386 of the

Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 17 of the

Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908 as well as

Sections 13, 17, 18, 20, 39 and 40 of the

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

3. In view of the order passed in SLP(Crl.) No.

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1979/2026 and SLP(Crl.) No. 3199/2026, we are

inclined to set aside the impugned order on the

same ground of prolonged incarceration undergone

by the appellant for nearly 6 years with a

direction to the Trial Court to complete the

examination of defence witnesses within a period

of three months.

4. Accordingly, the impugned order stands set aside

and the appellant is granted bail, subject to the

terms and conditions that may be imposed by the

concerned Trial Court.

5. The appeal is allowed accordingly.

6. Pending application(s), if any, shall stand

disposed of.

……………………………………………………………………J.
[M.M. SUNDRESH]

………………………………………………………………………J.
[PRASANNA B. VARALE]

NEW DELHI;

10th APRIL, 2026

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ITEM NO.7 COURT NO.5 SECTION II-A

S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.)
No(s). 1979/2026

[Arising out of impugned final judgment and order
dated 25-04-2025 in CA(DB) No. 1090/2023 passed
by the High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi]

JHARILAL MAHTO Petitioner(s)

VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA Respondent(s)

WITH
SLP(Crl) No. 3199/2026 (II-A)

SLP(Crl) No. 4148/2026 (II-A)
IA No. 71563/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF
THE IMPUGNED JUDGMENT
IA No. 71564/2026 – EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T.
IA No. 71562/2026 – PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES

Date : 10-04-2026 This petition was called on for
hearing today.

CORAM : HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M. SUNDRESH
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRASANNA B. VARALE

For Petitioner(s) Ms. Aakriti Priya, Adv.

Mr. Balaji Srinivasan, AOR
Ms. Kanishka Singh, Adv.
Mr. K. Shiva, Adv.

Mr. Amit Pawan, AOR
Mr. Hassan Zubair Waris, Adv.
Ms. Shivangi Singh Rawat, Adv.
Mr. Suchit Singh Rawat, Adv.
Ms. Aastha Shrestha, Adv.

For Respondent(s) Mr. S.D. Sanjay, A.S.G. (NP)
Mr. Udit Dedhiya, Adv.

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Ms. Astha Singh, Adv.

Mr. Anuj Udupa, Adv.

Mr. Vatsal Joshi, Adv.

Mr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, AOR

Mr. Anujsrinivas Udupa, Adv.
Mr. Vatsal Joshi, Adv.

Mr. A.K. Sharma, Adv.

UPON hearing the counsel the Court made
the following

O R D E R

Leave granted.

The appeals are allowed in terms of the

signed order.

Pending application(s), if any, shall stand

disposed of.

   (SWETA BALODI)                 (AVGV RAMU)
ASTT. REGISTRAR-cum-PS         COURT MASTER (NSH)

(Signed order is placed on the file)

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