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High Court of Gujarat

VIKRAM @ VIKKO S/O AJITBHAI CHHOTABHAI CHUNARAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The Court allowed the regular bail application, granting bail subject to specified conditions.

Summary

The High Court of Gujarat considered a regular bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, by Vikram @ Vikko, who was alleged to have participated in the theft of eleven Acer Chromebooks worth Rs 1.65 lakh from a school. The investigation was substantially complete, the stolen items had been recovered, and the accused had no prior record. The State opposed bail, arguing the gravity of the offence and the risk of absconding, while the applicant contended innocence and lack of flight risk. Applying established bail principles and citing Supreme Court precedents (Sanjay Chandra v. CBI and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor), the Court held that pre‑trial detention would amount to a de facto conviction and that bail is a rule, jail an exception. Consequently, the Court granted regular bail on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 with several conditions, including surrender of passport and regular police reporting.

Issues considered

  • The applicability of Section 483 of the BNSS, 2023 for granting regular bail before the filing of a chargesheet.
  • Whether the nature of the alleged theft and the circumstances of the case justify denial of bail on grounds of flight risk or tampering with evidence.
  • Interpretation of bail jurisprudence as articulated in Sanjay Chandra v. CBI and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor.

Legislation cited

Subjects

regular bailpre‑charge sheetBharatiya Nagarik Suraksha SanhitaTheftpersonal libertyArticle 21Gujaratcriminal procedure

Judgment

   R/CR.MA/16255/2026                               ORDER DATED: 17/07/2026




           IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

   R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR REGULAR BAIL - BEFORE
               CHARGESHEET) NO. 16255 of 2026

==========================================================
         VIKRAM @ VIKKO S/O AJITBHAI CHHOTABHAI CHUNARA
                               Versus
                        STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR JIGAR B OZA(11654) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR. DHRUV B. OZA(19761) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MR YUVRAJ BRAHMBHATT, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HASMUKH D. SUTHAR

                             Date : 17/07/2026

                                 ORDER

[1.0] RULE. Learned APP waives service of rule for the respondent-
State.


[2.0] The present application is filed under Section 483 of the
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short “BNSS”) for
regular        bail     in    connection         with       FIR        being
C.R.No.11191037261122           of   2026      registered    with     Odhav
Police Station, Ahmedabad City, for the offences under Sections
305(e), 331(3), 331(4), 54 of BNS, 2023.


[3.0] Learned advocate appearing on behalf of the applicant
submits that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely
implicated in the offence. Substantial part of investigation is over.
Nothing is required to be recovered or discovered. The applicant
has no past antecedent. He therefore submits that, considering the
nature of the offence, the applicant may be enlarged on regular bail
by imposing suitable conditions.




                                 Page 1 of 5
   R/CR.MA/16255/2026                              ORDER DATED: 17/07/2026




[4.0] Learned APP appearing on behalf of the respondent-State has
opposed the present application and requested to dismiss the
present application for regular bail on the ground that the
applicant is very much involved in the present offence and
considering the gravity of offence, no case is made out to entertain
present bail application. Chargesheet is yet to be filed. If the
applicant is released on bail, possibility cannot be ruled out that
the applicant will flee from justice. Therefore, present application
does not deserve consideration.


[5.0] While granting bail, the Court has to consider the involvement
of the accused in the alleged offence, the jurisdiction to grant bail
has to be exercised on the basis of the well settled principles
having regard to the facts and circumstances of each case and the
following    factors    are to   be   taken into   consideration       while
considering an application for bail: (i) the nature of accusation and
the severity of the punishment and the nature of the materials
relied upon by the prosecution; (ii) reasonable apprehension of
tampering with the witnesses and threat to the complainant or the
witnesses; (iii) reasonable possibility of securing the presence of
the accused at the time of trial or the likelihood of his abscondence;
(iv) character behaviour and standing of the accused and the
circumstances which are peculiar to the accused; (v) larger interest
of the public or the State and similar other considerations are
required to be considered.


[6.0] I have heard the learned advocates appearing on behalf of the
respective parties and perused the investigation papers. Allegation
against the present applicant is that present applicant along with
other accused persons entered in Odhav Hindi School No.1 and
from the school stolen, 11 Acer Chrome books i.e. muddamal of



                                 Page 2 of 5
   R/CR.MA/16255/2026                                     ORDER DATED: 17/07/2026




Rs1,65,000/-. Following aspects have been considered:


      (1)     Substantial part of investigation is over;
      (2)     Applicant is behind the bar since 27/06/2026;
      (3)     There is nothing to be recovered or discovered from the
      applicant;
      (4)     Not named in the FIR;
      (5)     No past antecedent;
      (6)     During the remand period, muddamal is recovered;
      (7)     Obviously commencement and conclusion of trial will
      take its own time;


[7.0] This Court has also taken into consideration the law laid down
by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Sanjay Chandra vs.
Central Bureau of Investigation reported in [2012]1 SCC 40
as well as in the case of Gudikanti Narasimhulu And Ors vs.
Public Prosecutor, High Court of Andhra Pradesh reported in
(1978)1 SCC 240. Obviously, the conclusion of trial will take time
and keeping the accused behind the bars is nothing but amounts to
pre-trial conviction and therefore, considering the celebrated
principle of bail jurisprudence is that “bail is a rule and jail is
exception” as well as the concept of personal liberty guaranteed
under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, present application
deserves consideration.


[8.0] In the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the
nature of the allegations made against the applicant in the FIR,
without discussing the evidence in detail, prima facie, this Court is
of the opinion that this is a fit case to exercise the discretion and
enlarge     the   applicant   on   regular       bail.   Hence,     the    present
application is allowed. The applicant is ordered to be released on



                                   Page 3 of 5
   R/CR.MA/16255/2026                              ORDER DATED: 17/07/2026




regular        bail     in   connection         with       FIR        being
C.R.No.11191037261122          of   2026      registered    with     Odhav
Police Station, Ahmedabad City, on executing a personal bond
of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty-five Thousand only) with one surety
of the like amount to the satisfaction of the trial Court and subject
to the conditions that he/she shall;


   (a)    not take undue advantage of liberty or misuse liberty;
   (b)    not act in a manner injurious to the interest of the
          prosecution & shall not obstruct or hamper the police
          investigation and shall not to play mischief with the
          evidence collected or yet to be collected by the police;
   (c)    surrender passport, if any, to the Trial Court within a
          week;
   (d)    not leave the State of Gujarat without prior permission of
          the Trial Court concerned;
   (e)    mark presence before the concerned Police Station once in
          a week till filing of the chargesheet and after filing of the
          chargesheet, mark presence before the concerned police
          station once in a month for a period of six months;
   (f)    furnish the Aadhaar card, email ID/present address of
          his residence to the Investigating Officer and also to the
          Court at the time of execution of the bond and shall not
          change the residence/contact number without prior
          permission of Trial Court;
   (g)    not to indulge in any illegal activity failing which learned
          trial Court shall issue warrant and cancel the bail of the
          applicant;


[9.0] The authorities will release the applicant only if he is not
required in connection with any other offence for the time being. If



                                Page 4 of 5
       R/CR.MA/16255/2026                                                          ORDER DATED: 17/07/2026




 breach of any of the above conditions is committed, the Sessions
 Judge concerned will be free to issue warrant or take appropriate
 action in the matter.


 [10.0] Bail bond to be executed before the lower Court having
 jurisdiction to try the case. It will be open for the concerned Court
 to delete, modify and/or relax any of the above conditions, in
 accordance with law.


 [11.0] At the trial, the trial Court shall not be influenced by the
 observations of preliminary nature qua the evidence at this stage
 made by this Court while enlarging the applicant on bail.


 [12.0] Rule is made absolute to the aforesaid extent. Direct service
 is permitted.




                                                                    (HASMUKH D. SUTHAR,J)
 ILA


Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: ILA PRAFULKUMAR PATEL(HC00194), Principal Pvt Secretary, at High Court of Gujarat on 17/07/2026 17:35:02




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