### Bail may be denied to a juvenile if release poses moral or psychological danger, defeating the ends of justice.

The applicant, a juvenile, was allegedly involved in an assault on 06.09.2025, alongside another juvenile and two major co-accused, resulting in the death of one Sachin.

The prosecution alleged that the applicant inflicted 17 stab wounds with a knife due to old enmity.

The Juvenile Justice Board, Rajnandgaon, rejected the applicant's bail application on 11.12.2025.

Subsequently, the Children Court/Additional Sessions Judge, Rajnandgaon, upheld this rejection in Criminal Appeal No. 178/2025 on 02.01.2026.

The applicant moved the High Court in revision, contending that he has no criminal history and that the social investigation report was favorable.

1. Whether the applicant is entitled to bail under the mandatory provisions of Section 12 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, despite the heinous nature of the alleged offense.

2. Whether the release of the juvenile would expose him to moral, physical, or psychological danger or otherwise defeat the ends of justice.

The court primarily applied Section 12 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which mandates that a child in conflict with law shall be released on bail unless such release is likely to bring the child into association with known criminals, expose them to moral, physical, or psychological danger, or defeat the ends of justice.

The court also considered Section 102 of the Act regarding the High Court's revisional powers.

The Court observed that while Section 12 of the Act, 2015 generally favors the grant of bail to juveniles, it contains specific statutory exceptions.

In this case, the Court noted the extreme gravity of the offense, where the applicant allegedly inflicted 17 stab wounds.

The Court concurred with the lower court's finding that the juvenile had abandoned his studies and appeared to be beyond parental control.

The reasoning established that if released, the juvenile's proximity to habitual criminal peers and the nature of the crime committed would likely lead to "dangerous changes in his moral and psychological thinking".

Therefore, the Court found that the statutory embargoes under Section 12—specifically the risk of moral/psychological danger and the defeat of the ends of justice—were applicable based on the specific circumstances of the crime and the conduct of the juvenile.

The High Court affirmed the orders of the Juvenile Justice Board and the Appellate Court, dismissed Criminal Revision No. 219/2026, and denied bail to the applicant.