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
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, RCCase 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 theexamination 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.
3
1979/2026 and SLP(Crl.) No. 3199/2026, we areinclined 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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