AB 3472/2011 BEFORE THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE B D AGARWAL By this application under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, the petitioner Nos. 1, 2 and 3, namely Sri Sada Deori, Sri Biswa Deo ri and Sri Ramen Deori, respectively, are praying for bail apprehending their ar rest in connection with Bihpuria PS Case No. 333 of 2002, under Sections 409/420 /34 of the Indian Penal Code. Heard Sri P Upadhyay, learned counsel for the petitioners as wel l as Sri B S Sinha, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State of Assam. The prosecution case is that there was a scheme to remunerate th e workers in certain development works by way of allotting rice and also paying wages in cash. As per the prosecution story, around 550 quintals of rice have be en misappropriated by the Chairman of the construction committee, Junior Enginee r, Officer-In-Charge, Contractors, etc. According to the learned counsel, all the Government Officials h ave been granted bail by this Court. Since the Investigating Officer has not arr ested the petitioners in the last 9 years, I am of the view that no purpose will be served if the present petitioners are arrested at this stage. At the same ti me, the investigation has also not been concluded for a long period. For the foregoing reasons, the bail prayers are accepted. Accord ingly, the Investigating Officer is directed to release the aforesaid petitioner s on bail, on their furnishing bail bonds of Rs. 20,000/- each, with one surety each of the like amount subject to his satisfaction, in the event of their arres t in connection with the aforesaid case. The petitioners shall appear before the Investigating Officer wi thin a period of one week from today and they shall co-operate in the investigat ion of the case. The Superintendent of Police, North Lakhimpur, is directed to se e that the investigation is completed immediately and the report in final form i s submitted to the Court as expeditiously as possible. The Registry is directed to furnish a copy of this order to the Superintendent of Police, North Lakhimpur. With the aforesaid direction, this Anticipatory Bail Application stands disposed of.