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High Court of Gujarat

GANSHYAMBHAI RAMJIBHAI SITAPARAversusSTATE OF GUJARAT

Disposal
38-RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @ FH

Holding

The court held that the applicant is entitled to regular bail under Section 483 of the BNSS and ordered his release on bail subject to conditions.

Summary

The petitioner, Ganeshyambhai Ramjibhai Sitapara, applied for regular bail under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 after a charge‑sheet was filed for offences including unlawful assembly, assault and murder. The State opposed bail, alleging the accused formed an unlawful assembly with intent to kill. The court examined factors such as the nature of the accusations, the applicant’s lack of prior record, the completion of investigation, and the risk of prejudice to the trial. Relying on Supreme Court precedents (Sanjay Chandra v. CBI and Gudikanti Narasimhulu v. Public Prosecutor), the court emphasized the principle that bail is the rule and jail the exception, and that personal liberty is protected under Article 21. Concluding that the applicant’s role was limited to inflicting injury with a sugarcane stick and that no material would be lost by his release, the court granted regular bail subject to a personal bond and several conditions.

Issues considered

  • Whether regular bail can be granted under Section 483 BNSS after a charge‑sheet has been filed for the alleged offences.
  • Whether the nature of the alleged offences and the applicant’s alleged role justify the grant of bail.
  • Whether there is a reasonable risk of witness tampering, absconding, or prejudice to the trial that would preclude bail.

Legislation cited

Subjects

regular bailSection 483 BNSSpre‑trial detentionunlawful assemblypersonal libertyArticle 21Gujarat criminal law

Judgment

    R/CR.MA/11907/2026                                 ORDER DATED: 03/07/2026




            IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

    R/CRIMINAL MISC.APPLICATION (FOR REGULAR BAIL - AFTER
                CHARGESHEET) NO. 11907 of 2026
==========================================================
                    GANSHYAMBHAI RAMJIBHAI SITAPARA
                                Versus
                          STATE OF GUJARAT
==========================================================
Appearance:
MR LAXMANSINH M ZALA(5787) for the Applicant(s) No. 1
MS VRUNDA SHAH, APP for the Respondent(s) No. 1
==========================================================
  CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HASMUKH D. SUTHAR

                              Date : 03/07/2026

                                   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. 11211031260020 of 2026 registered
with Limbdi Police Station, Surendranagar, for the offences under
Sections 103(1), 189(2), 191(2), 191(3), 190, 115(2), 118(1), 351(3) and 352 of
BNS and Section 135 of the GP Act.

[3.0] Learned advocate appearing on behalf of the applicant submits that
the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the offence.
Investigation is over and chargesheet has been filed. Nothing is required to
be recovered or discovered. The applicant has no past antecedent. The
applicant has been arraigned as an accused No.4 and his role is only to cause
injury to the victim by inflicting sugarcane stick. He therefore submits that,
considering the nature of the offence, the applicant may be enlarged on
regular bail by imposing suitable conditions.

[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 and other accused formed an
unlawful assembly and with an intent to kill the deceased Hiteshbhai


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   R/CR.MA/11907/2026                                   ORDER DATED: 03/07/2026




assaulted by knife and iron rod and committed murder. 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. Following aspects
have been considered:

      (1)     Investigation is over and charge-sheet is filed;
      (2)     Applicant is behind the bar since 14.01.2026;
      (3)     There is nothing to be recovered or discovered from the
              applicant;
      (4)     No past antecedent ;.
      (5)     Obviously commencement and conclusion of trial will take
              its own time.
      (6)     As per the case of the prosecution the accused formed an
              unlawful assembly with deadly weapons and made an assault
              by knife and iron rod. In the said incident, the applicant has
              inflicted sugarcane stick to injured Vishal and he is out of
              danger and discharged from hospital. In aid of Section 189(2),


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    R/CR.MA/11907/2026                                  ORDER DATED: 03/07/2026




               he has been arraigned as an accused.

[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 regular bail in connection with FIR being C.R. No.
11211031260020 of 2026 registered with Limbdi Police Station,
Surendranagar 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 every


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    R/CR.MA/11907/2026                                                        ORDER DATED: 03/07/2026




             month for a period of six months between 11.00 a.m. and 2.00
             p.m.;
   (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 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)

SUCHIT




 Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
 Digitally signed by: PATEL SUCHIT JAYESHBHAI(HC01083), Private Secretary, at High Court of Gujarat on 03/07/2026 17:44:02

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