Primary sources · Judgment
NAFE SINGH @ MANTRI Vs STATE (N.C.T. OF DELHI) & ANR.
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Date of Decision: 19.08.2026
CNR No. DLHC010285472026
BAIL APPLN. 2508/2026, CRL.M.A.25421/2026 & 25420/2026
NAFE SINGH @ MANTRI .....Petitioner
Through: Mr. Aakash Godara, Advocate
(through video conferencing).
versus
STATE (N.C.T. OF DELHI) & ANR. .....Respondent
Through: Mr. Amit Ahlawat, APP for State
with IO/ACP Anil Kumar.
CORAM: JUSTICE GIRISH KATHPALIA
J U D G M E N T (ORAL)
The accused/applicant seeks regular bail in case FIR No. 766/2015 of
PS Chhawla for offence under Section 302/307/34 IPC and Section 27/54/59
of Arms Act.
After last date, status report was filed. I have heard learned counsel
for accused/applicant and learned APP for State assisted by IO/ACP Anil
BAIL APPLN. 2508/2026
Page 1 of 3 pages
Kumar.
Broadly speaking, allegation against the accused/applicant is as
follows. On 20.12.2015, the accused/applicant accompanied with co-accused
Pradeep, Ashok and Dharmender attacked the deceased and fired multiple
gunshots, thereby killing him on the spot. In the incident, the eye witness
Suraj Bhan escaped without any injury, but subsequently in the year 2024,
Suraj Bhan was murdered.
Learned counsel for accused/applicant seeks grant of bail on parity
with co-accused Pradeep, who was granted bail by this court vide judgment
dated 16.03.2026.
Learned APP for State assisted by the IO strongly opposes bail
application of the accused/applicant, contending that this is not a fit case for
parity with the co-accused Pradeep.
The only ground on which bail is sought being parity with co-accused
Pradeep, I have examined both the cases. I find substance in the submission
of prosecution that case of the present accused/applicant is distinct from that
of co-accused Pradeep.
That is so because admittedly, earlier in the year 2023, the present
accused/applicant was granted interim bail for a period of 07 days but he
BAIL APPLN. 2508/2026
Page 2 of 3 pages jumped bail and could be arrested only in the year 2025 after he was
declared Proclaimed Offender. That did not happen in this case of coaccused Pradeep. The accused/applicant having jumped the interim bail in
such a manner, I am in agreement with the prosecution that it cannot be said
that there is no likelihood of his jumping the bail again in order to evade the
trial. Further, the present accused/applicant is also involved in case under
MCOCA as well as four more murder cases.
Besides that, another important factor while granting bail to coaccused Pradeep was that he was in custody for past 10 years and no witness
of prosecution was examined, whereas so far as the present
accused/applicant is concerned, it is only because of his having absconded
that the trial got stuck and in the meanwhile, the eye witness Suraj Bhan
died.
Therefore, the present bail application and accompanying applications
are dismissed.
Copy of this order be sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent for
being informed to the accused/applicant.
GIRISH
KATHPALIA
**AUGUST 19, 2026/**ry
GIRISH KATHPALIA
(JUDGE)
BAIL APPLN. 2508/2026
Page 3 of 3 pages