Citation: Sahil v. State NCT of Delhi, Bail Appln. 3106/2026, Delhi High Court (Justice Mini Pushkarna), decided on 05.10.2026 | 2026:DHC:8739
In a serious case like murder, a court can grant bail to an accused who has spent a long period in custody, where the trial is likely to take years, his role is only of standing at the spot with no allegation of injuring the victim, he is young with no criminal record and a similarly placed co-accused has already got bail. These findings are only for bail and not an opinion on guilt.
The Delhi High Court has granted bail to a young man who has spent about three and a half years in custody in a 2023 murder case in Anand Parbat. The accused is not alleged to have stabbed anyone, and only 2 of the 83 prosecution witnesses have been examined. The case involves the death of Karan Parihar, who was stabbed on 1 April 2023 after a quarrel the previous evening. The police arrested 11 people, including the applicant, Sahil. His role, according to the police, was to stand with a stick around the main accused so that the victim’s family could not fight back, and the CCTV footage showed him only standing there. The police also said that call records showed the accused had spoken to each other before the incident. He was not named in the FIR or in any witness statement, and only appeared in the disclosure statements of the other accused. He had come forward when served a notice under Section 160 CrPC. His lawyer said he was 17 years and 10 months old on the date of the incident, but the trial court rejected his request for a bone ossification test in 2024 and the police treat his date of birth as 5 March 2005, which would make him an adult. Justice Mini Pushkarna granted bail on the grounds that the trial will take a long time, there was no allegation of stabbing against him, he is about 18 years old with no criminal record, and a similarly placed co-accused who was also only standing at the spot was already on bail. The victim’s family opposed bail on the ground that he was part of a conspiracy and could influence witnesses. Bail was granted on a Rs 50,000 bond with one surety, subject to conditions such as reporting to the police station every Monday at 9 am, keeping his phone on, and staying away from witnesses. The court said its remarks are only for deciding bail.