Munna alias Mehatab vs State Of Uttarakhand

Alok Kumar Verma, J

Applicant- Munna alias Mehatab is in judicial custody for the offence punishable under Section 3, Section 5 read with Section 11 of the Uttarakhand Protection of Cow Progeny Act, 2007 in Case Crime No.320 of 2025, registered at Police Station Bhagwanpur, District Haridwar.

According to the First Information Report, on 24.09.2025, the police received a secret information that Munna alias Aftab (applicant), Suhail and Furkan are slaughtering the cows. The police raided the spot. They noticed that four persons were present on the spot. Seeing the police, all four persons ran away from the spot. The police recovered 200 kg. beef and other articles from the spot. Applicant was arrested on 26.09.2025.

Heard Mr. Rajveer Singh, learned counsel for the applicant and Ms. Manisha Rana Singh, learned Deputy Advocate General for the respondent.

Mr. Rajveer Singh, Advocate, contended that the applicant was not present on the spot. He has been falsely implicated by the police. He was not involved in the said offences. He has not been convicted. He is a permanent resident of District Haridwar, therefore, there is no possibility of his absconding, and, Suhail and Furkan, the co-accused, have already been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in Anticipatory Bail Application No.1118 of 2025.

Ms. Manisha Rana Singh, learned Deputy Advocate General, has opposed the bail application orally.

Bail is the rule and committal to jail is an exception. Refusal of bail is a restriction on the personal liberty of the individual, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The object of keeping the accused person in detention during the investigation is not punishment. The main purpose is manifestly to secure the attendance of the accused.

Having considered the submissions of learned counsel for both the parties and in the facts and circumstances of the case, no reason is found to keep the applicant behind the bars for an indefinite period, therefore, without expressing any opinion as to the merits of the case, this Court is of the view that the applicant deserves bail at this stage.

The Bail Application is allowed.

Let the applicant- Munna alias Mehatab be released on bail on his executing a personal bond and furnishing two reliable sureties, each in the like amount, to the satisfaction of the court concerned.