Jharkhand High Court rejects plea seeking extension to surrender, citing inconsistent medical evidence and lack of merit

News Citation : 2026 LN (HC) 309 | 2026:JHHC:12226

April 27, 2026 : The High Court of Jharkhand has dismissed a criminal miscellaneous petition filed by Gorwa Devi alias Jira Devi, upholding a lower court’s refusal to grant her additional time to surrender in connection with a criminal case from Hazaribagh.

Justice Anil Kumar Choudhary, while hearing the matter, found no illegality in the order passed by the Additional Sessions Judge-III, Hazaribagh, who had earlier rejected the petitioner’s plea for extension of time. The High Court concluded that the petition lacked merit and declined to exercise its powers under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

The case stems from an anticipatory bail order granted to the petitioner on July 8, 2025, which required her to surrender before the trial court within four weeks and furnish bail bonds. However, she failed to comply within the stipulated period. Subsequently, she sought an extension, claiming she had been undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata between August 3, 2025, and January 18, 2026.

The trial court rejected her request after noting inconsistencies in the medical documents she submitted. While her claim suggested prolonged treatment during the relevant period, the documents indicated hospital visits only in late June and early July 2025, before the anticipatory bail order was even granted.

Before the High Court, the petitioner argued that the rejection of her plea was arbitrary and had caused serious prejudice. The State, however, opposed the petition, emphasizing that the supporting documents contradicted her claims and justified the lower court’s decision.

After reviewing the records, the High Court agreed with the State’s position, observing that the petitioner had failed to substantiate her medical grounds for non-appearance. The court noted that the evidence presented did not align with her claims and instead told a different story.

In light of these findings, the court held that there was no reason to interfere with the lower court’s order and dismissed the petition.

Case Reference : Cr.M.P. No. 1115 of 2026, Gorwa Devi @ Jira Devi @ Jirwa Devi vs State of Jharkhand; for the petitioner: Mr. Nitish Parth Sarthi, Advocate, and Mr. Sudhanshu Kr. Singh, Advocate; for the State: Mr. Sunil Kr. Dubey, Addl. P.P.