Jharkhand High Court Grants Bail to 15-Year-Old Boy for Board Exams, Citing Juvenile Justice Act
In a significant ruling, the Jharkhand High Court has granted bail to a 15-year-old boy to enable him to appear for his intermediate board examinations, emphasizing that society cannot afford to punish its children. The court set aside previous orders denying bail, highlighting the overriding provisions of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2015.
Court's Observations on Juvenile Justice
Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, while allowing the criminal revision plea filed by the petitioner's father, observed that a punitive approach towards children in conflict with the law would only destroy society. The court stated that the JJ Act, 2015, is designed to protect children, who represent the future of society, by providing rehabilitation, protection, and safe custody for their development, rather than punishment.
Society cannot afford to punish its children, and a punitive approach towards children in conflict with the law will destroy society, the court remarked, reinforcing the Act's core principles of reformation and rehabilitation.
Background of the Case
The petitioner, a juvenile, was booked in 2023 under sections 385 and 387 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for extortion-related offenses, along with sections 120-B/34 for criminal conspiracy, and under section 27 of the Arms Act. The trial court and juvenile justice board had rejected his bail application, citing risks of moral, physical, and psychological danger.
The father of the petitioner contended that the juvenile was falsely implicated in the case, with no eyewitnesses and his name only appearing in a confessional statement by a co-accused, who has since been acquitted. On October 28, 2025, the petitioner was sent to an observation home, where a social investigation report demonstrated his good behavior during detention.
Legal Findings and Bail Grant
The court found that the reasoning and conclusions of the trial court and juvenile justice board were not based on reasonable grounds, particularly in light of Section 12 of the JJ Act, 2015. This section mandates that children in conflict with the law should generally be released on bail, with denial only permissible if release exposes the child to danger, associates them with known criminals, or defeats the ends of justice.
Since there was a lack of material evidence to justify denying bail, the court set aside the previous orders. The petitioner will be released on bail based on an assurance from his father and two sureties from relatives, subject to the satisfaction of the principal magistrate of the juvenile justice board. This decision underscores the Act's emphasis on protecting juvenile futures through supportive measures rather than punitive actions.
