Madhya Pradesh High Court grants anticipatory bail on condition of planting & geo-tagging trees through High Court's mobile app

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has allowed an anticipatory bail application, on the condition of planting 5 fruit-giving or neem or peepal trees and taking care of them, to a person accused of being involved in black marketing of fertilizers.

A single-judge bench of Justice Anand Pathak said, "He shall submit photographs by downloading the mobile application (app) prepared at the instance of High Court, for monitoring the plantation through satellite/geo-tagging."

In addition to this, the Bench also directed the applicant to take care of the plants as well and file a status report in connection with the status of the plant every 3 months stating that "वृक्षारोपण के साथ वृक्षापोषण भी आवश्यक है ।" (Besides planting the trees, taking care of them is also important)

The anticipatory bail application has been filed by Ajay Gupta through Advocate Yash Jain stating that he has not been at all involved in the black marketing of fertilizers - Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Urea.

Jain appearing for Gupta submitted that as per allegations, the price of DAP is Rs.1200/-, whereas he was allegedly demanding Rs.1340/- per bag and the price of Urea is Rs.266/-, whereas he was allegedly taking Rs.370/- per bag, however the same is based upon a statement of the solitary customer and no investigation has been made to bring home the allegations.

Jain submitted that his client, "intends to perform community service voluntarily by serving the environment and national/social cause by contributing his part voluntarily by planting saplings, to purge his misdeeds, if any, in case his application is allowed."

Agreeing Jain's submission, the bench allowed Pathak to be enlarged on bail stating, "It is directed that applicant shall be released on bail in case of his arrest on furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rs. One Lac Only) with two solvent sureties in the sum of Rs.50,000/- each to the satisfaction of Arresting Authority/Investigating Officer."