The Supreme Court has set aside an Allahabad High Court order granting bail to a man accused in a Mathura murder case, observing that the High Court failed to properly examine the evidence collected during the investigation.
A Bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh held that the bail order was “cryptic” and showed “non-application of mind” in a case involving serious allegations of murder.
Background of the Case
The appeal was filed by Bhagat Singh, nephew of the deceased Bharat Singh alias Pappu, challenging the January 22, 2026 order of the Allahabad High Court granting bail to accused Kunwarpal Singh.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place on March 8, 2025, when the deceased and the informant were heading towards their agricultural field in Mathura district. The accused and two others allegedly emerged from hiding with country-made pistols and fired multiple shots at the deceased, causing his death on the spot.
The FIR was registered the same day at Chhata Police Station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
During investigation, police recovered a .315 bore country-made pistol and an empty cartridge allegedly at the instance of the accused. A chargesheet was later filed.
Why the High Court Granted Bail
The Sessions Court had earlier rejected the accused’s bail plea after considering the seriousness of the allegations, the post-mortem report and recovery of the weapon.
However, the Allahabad High Court later granted bail, noting that the informant and another witness did not make allegations against the accused during the inquest proceedings.
Supreme Court’s Observations
The Supreme Court disagreed with that reasoning and said the High Court ignored several important materials available on record.
“The impugned order, in our considered opinion, suffers from non-application of mind and is cryptic and bereft of substantial reasoning,” the Bench observed.
The Court pointed out that the accused was specifically named in the FIR and was assigned a direct role in the firing. It also referred to the post-mortem report showing firearm injuries and the alleged recovery of the weapon from the accused.
The Bench further clarified that inquest proceedings are limited in scope and are only meant to ascertain the apparent cause of death. They are not intended to record detailed allegations or identify accused persons.
Referring to earlier judgments, the Court said that non-mention of an accused person during the inquest cannot by itself weaken the prosecution case.
Court’s Decision
Setting aside the High Court’s bail order, the Supreme Court remanded the matter back for fresh consideration in accordance with law.
The Court directed the accused to surrender before the concerned jail authorities within one week and remain in judicial custody until the High Court passes a fresh order on the bail plea.
The Bench also clarified that it had not expressed any opinion on the merits of the criminal case.
Case Details:
Case Title: Bhagat Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Anr.
Case Number: Criminal Appeal arising out of SLP (Crl.) No. 4240 of 2026
Judges: Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh
Decision Date: May 22, 2026
