Jharkhand High Court Denies Bail to Aman Sao Gang Member in Police Ambush Case

News Citation : 2026 LN (HC) 245 | 2026:JHHC:9942-DB

April 8, 2026 : The Jharkhand High Court has dismissed a regular bail appeal filed by Rajan Sao, an alleged member of the notorious Aman Sao gang, in connection with a violent 2023 ambush that left a Deputy Superintendent of Police and a Sub-Inspector seriously injured.

The Division Bench, comprising Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad, ruled that the gravity of the accusations and the appellant’s direct involvement in firing upon law enforcement outweighed the plea for relief based on his two-year incarceration. The court emphasized that in cases involving the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the “tripod test” of flight risk and evidence tampering only applies if the accusations are not found to be prima facie true. In this instance, the court found significant evidence of a criminal conspiracy aimed at destabilizing state and central institutions.

The case originated from an ATS operation on July 17, 2023, near village Terpa. Acting on intelligence that the Aman Sao gang was coordinating extortion and purchasing sophisticated weaponry to target major infrastructure projects, a team led by Dy. S.P. Niraj Kumar attempted to intercept the suspects. Upon arrival, Rajan Sao and his associates allegedly opened fire on the officers before escaping into the forest under the cover of darkness. Both Dy. S.P. Kumar and S.I. Sonu Kumar Sahu sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter.

Counsel for the appellant argued for bail on the grounds of parity, noting that several co-accused individuals had already been released. They further contended that the prolonged trial and Sao’s custody since August 2023 warranted judicial interference. However, the State’s Special Public Prosecutor, Vineet Kumar Vashistha, countered that Sao’s role was more severe than those granted bail, citing his direct participation in the shooting and his history of three similar criminal antecedents.

The High Court aligned with the State’s position, referencing recent Supreme Court precedents which establish that “jail is the rule and bail is the exception” under UAPA. The judges noted that the trial is currently at an advanced stage, with seven out of twenty-one witnesses already examined. The court concluded that releasing Sao at this juncture would pose a significant risk of witness intimidation and would prejudice the fair conduct of the trial.

Case Reference : Criminal Appeal (DB) No. 57 of 2026; Rajan Sao v. The State of Jharkhand; Counsels: Mr. Sanjay Kumar Tiwary (Appellant) and Mr. Vineet Kumar Vashistha, Spl.PP (Respondent).