IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA Criminal Miscellaneous No.23718 of 2011 Pintoo Mahto @ Ranjeet Kumar, Son of Late Brij Mahto @ Late Brijnandan Mahto, resident of Village- Mahabat, P.S. Ariari, District- Sheikhpura ---------------------Petitioner Versus The State Of Bihar ---------------------------------- 03 24-10-2011 Heard Sri Bharat Lal, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Uday Pratap Singh, learned Addl.Public Prosecutor. The petitioner, who is in custody in connection with Kawakole ( Rupao ) P.S. Case No.132 of 2001( S.Tr.No.117 of 2010) registered in the year 2001 for the offences under Sections 147,148,149,353,307,186,225,120(B) of the Indian Penal Code and 25(1-ab), 26(ii), 27, 35 of the Arms Act, has prayed for grant of bail. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that other accused persons have already been granted bail having similar accusation. Even one of the accused was granted anticipatory bail by this Court on 01.09.2010 vide Cr.Misc.No.29875 of 2010 and the petitioner is in custody since 24.10.2008 and, as such, It was submitted that the petitioner deserves to be released on bail. Another accused, namely, Ranjit Thakur almost having similar allegation has also been granted bail on 19.02.2010 vide Cr.Misc.No.1017 of 2010. Learned Addl. Public Prosecutor has vehemently opposed the prayer for bail. I have perused the impugned order as well as the case diary. From the impugned order it appears that the petitioner was a 2 veteran criminal. When the petitioner was in custody, he had escaped after killing the gate-keeper and even while fleeing away, he had snatched government rifle from the jail gate-keeper. It is evident that the petitioner was absconder for a long time. It further appears that trial has already commenced. Considering the accusation against the petitioner and the fact that the trial has already commenced, the Court is not inclined to extend the privilege of bail. Since the petitioner is in custody since 2008, it is desirable to direct the court below to expedite the trial, so that it may come to its logical end without any delay. NKS/- ( Rakesh Kumar, J.)