MP High Court Grants Bail To Accused In Fatal Jabalpur Accident, Flags Casual Investigation By Police

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted bail to a 24-year-old businessman accused in the January Road accident near Jabalpur that killed five labourers and left 11 others seriously injured, while sharply criticising the police investigation and observing that there was no direct material linking the accused to the incident.

Justice Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar, hearing the first bail application filed by Lakhan Soni alias Lakkhu, said the prosecution case presently rested only on statements made before the police and lacked independent evidence showing that the applicant was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.

The case arises out of Crime No. 47 of 2026 registered at Barela Police Station in Jabalpur district under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. According to the prosecution, a white Nissan Magnite allegedly ran over labourers working at a road construction site near Sigma Kanha Colony, Saliwada, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

Senior Advocate Manish Datt, assisted by Advocate Rohan Awasthi, appeared for the applicant and argued that Lakhan Soni had been falsely implicated. The defence submitted that apart from his alleged disclosure statement and the statement of co-accused Deepak Soni before the police, there was no admissible evidence connecting him to the crime. It was also argued that the applicant had no criminal antecedents, had family roots, and was unlikely to abscond or tamper with evidence.

Opposing the plea, Panel Lawyer Ankita Khare appeared for the State, while Advocate Neeraj Ashar represented the objector. The State argued that the allegations were grave because five persons had lost their lives in the incident. However, the prosecution also conceded before the Court that no criminal history had been reported against the applicant.

After examining the case diary, the High Court found significant gaps in the investigation. The Court noted that the applicant had been implicated mainly on the basis of information allegedly provided by co-accused Deepak Soni while in police custody. The bench further pointed out that the investigating officer had failed to record the statement of a woman named Vedika, who was reportedly travelling in the same vehicle at the time of the accident.

The Court also observed that none of the eyewitnesses examined during the investigation had stated that Lakhan Soni was driving the vehicle when the incident occurred.

“It is unfortunate that a casual investigation is conducted in such a horrific incident,” the Court observed while considering the material placed before it.

The order further recorded that, prima facie, there was “no direct incriminating material” against the applicant and that the prosecution case could only be tested during trial after evidence was led before the competent court.

Granting bail, the Court noted that prolonged incarceration of the young applicant was not justified in the absence of criminal antecedents and considering his social and economic background. The Court also said there appeared to be no possibility of the applicant fleeing from justice or influencing witnesses.

The High Court directed that Lakhan Soni be released on bail upon furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh along with one solvent surety of the same amount. The Court imposed conditions requiring him to appear before the trial court on every hearing date, refrain from committing similar offences, avoid influencing witnesses, and not tamper with evidence.

The Court clarified that the observations made in the bail order were limited to deciding the present application and would not influence the merits of the criminal trial. It further directed the trial court to reproduce all bail conditions on the personal bond and surety bond so that the accused and the surety understood the obligations imposed by the Court.

The order also stated that any breach of the conditions would permit the trial court to consider cancellation of bail. Lakhan Soni has remained in judicial custody since January 24, 2026, and the police have filed the final report before the court concerned.

Case Title: Lakhan Soni @ Lakkhu v. The State of Madhya Pradesh

Date of Order: May 11, 2026

Bench: Sanjeev S Kalgaonkar