High Court of KeralaSingle JudgeBail granted; application allowed.

Abhinav v. State of Kerala

Case / Petition Number:Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024
Neutral Citation:/

Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court of Kerala
Hon'ble Judges
  • C.S. Dias
Judgment Date
2024-03-13
Court Decision / Holding
The bail application is allowed. Abhinav is ordered to be released on bail on executing a bond for Rs. 50,000 with two solvent sureties for the like amount, subject to conditions: (i) appearance before the Investigating Officer on Saturdays for a month or until final report; (ii) non-inducement/ non-tampering with witnesses; (iii) no commission of any offence while on bail; (iv) surrender of passport if any; (v) provide present and permanent addresses and mobile number; (vi) IO may investigate and recover, if necessary, even while on bail, following the principle laid down in Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) and another; (vii) conditions for deletion/modification; (viii) consequences for violation including possible cancellation of bail.
Final Disposition
Bail granted; application allowed.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Abhinav

Respondents

  • State of Kerala

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • Dinesh Mathew J. Muricken
  • • Vinod S. Pillai
  • • Nayana Varghese
  • • Mohammed Thayib N.M.
  • • Ria Varghese
  • • Seba ShajahAn
  • • Jerry Peter

Counsels for Respondents

  • • Public Prosecutor, High Court of Kerala

Case Synopsis & Summary

This is a Kerala High Court bail application (Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024) by Abhinav, the first accused in Kalady Police Station, Crime No. 187/2024, alleging offences under sections 341, 323, 294(b), 506 and 308 read with section 34 IPC. The petitioner, aged 19, was arrested on 28 February 2024 and has remained in custody since then. The prosecution’s case is that, on 27 February 2024, in furtherance of their common intention, the accused restrained the de facto complainant, abused him, and threatened him with death; the first accused attempted to stab the complainant, causing injuries to him and two friends who intervened. The defense contends the petitioner is innocent and that section 308 has been wrongly included; the accident/wound registers reportedly show only minor injuries. The Public Prosecutor submits that investigation is ongoing and that release could lead to witness intimidation and tampering with evidence. The court notes that the accident registers indicate minor injuries to the injured persons and prima facie indicates that section 308 may not be attracted. Nevertheless, the judge considers the petitioner’s prolonged custody, lack of criminal antecedents, and that recovery has been effected, and therefore grants bail with conditions including a bond of Rs.50,000 with two sureties, regular appearances before the IO, non-tampering with witnesses, no new offences, passport surrender if applicable, and disclosure of addresses and contact numbers. The order cites a Supreme Court principle via Sushila Aggarwal and allows IO powers to investigate and recover even on bail if necessary.

Provisions of Law Cited

Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973Section 341 IPCSection 323 IPCSection 294(b) IPCSection 506 IPCSection 308 IPCSection 34 IPC

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The petitioner contends complete innocence, false implication, and that Section 308 is inapplicable to the facts as stated in the FIR and supporting documents. The defense argues that the injuries shown in the accident/wound registers are minor, there are no prior antecedents, and substantial progress in investigation supports bail. The counsel urged that detention is unnecessary given recovery of injuries and the lack of a history of violence in the accused.

Contentions of Respondents

The State counters that investigation is ongoing and releasing the accused could lead to witness intimidation and tampering with evidence; the injuries to the complainant and associates, as per the medical records, justify maintaining investigation before final report; the risk of repetition and the presence of common intention are highlighted to justify continued custodial remand until final report.

Cited Precedents (1)

Case NameCitationTreatmentExplanation
Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) and another2020 (1) KHC 663PositiveUsed as authority to permit ongoing police investigation and recoveries during bail, justifying the specified bail conditions and IO powers.

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Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

1 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 # **`IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM`** ## **`PRESENT`** ``` THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.S.DIAS ``` ``` WEDNESDAY, THE 13[TH] DAY OF MARCH 2024 / 23RD PHALGUNA, 1945 BAIL APPL. NO. 1849 OF 2024 ``` ``` CRIME NO.187/2024 OF Kalady Police Station, Ernakulam ``` ``` PETITIONER/S: ``` ``` ABHINAV AGED 19 YEARS S/O.SHIBU.K.S., KALINJATHIL HOUSE, MOOTHAKUNNAM.P.O., ERNAKULAM DISTRICT,, PIN - 683516 ``` ``` BY ADVS. DINESH MATHEW J.MURICKEN VINOD S. PILLAI NAYANA VARGHESE MOHAMMED THAYIB N.M. RIA VARGHESE SEBA SHAJAHAN JERRY PETER ``` ## **`RESPONDENT/S:`** ``` STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF KERALA, PIN - 682031 ``` ``` OTHER PRESENT: ``` ``` Sr PP Sri C.S Hrithwik ``` ``` THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 13.03.2024, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ``` 2 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 ## **C.S.DIAS,J** ## **======================** **Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 ----------------------------------Dated this the 13[th] day of March, 2024** ## **O R D E R** The application is filed under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, by the first accused in crime No.187/2024 of the Kalady Police Station, Ernakulam, registered against the accused (two in number), for allegedly committing the offences punishable under Secs.341, 323, 294(b), 506 and 308 read with Sec.34 of the Indian Penal Code. The petitioner was arrested on 28.2.2024. 2. The crux of the prosecution case is that: on 27.2.2024 at around 4.15 p.m, the accused in furtherance of their common intention had wrongfully restrained the de 3 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 facto complainant, abused him and threatened him with the fear of death. Then, the first accused attempted to commit culpable homicide by attempting to stab him on his neck. Although the de facto complainant evaded the attack, he got injured on his left and right shoulder. When the friends of the de facto complainant attempted to intervene in the matter, the accused also assaulted them. Thus, the accused have committed the above offences. 3. Heard; Sri.Dinesh Mathew J.Murikan, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri.C.S Hrithwik, the learned Public Prosecutor. 4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is totally innocent of the accusations levelled against him. He has been falsely implicated in the 4 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 crime. Sec.308 has been deliberately incorporated to deny bail to the petitioner. A reading of Annexure A1 FIR would substantiate that the said offence is not attracted. A perusal of the accident register cum wound certificate of the injured would show that the de facto complainant and his friends suffered only minor injuries. Notwithstanding the above contentions, the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 28.2.2024, the investigation in the case is practically complete and recovery has been effected. Hence, the application may be allowed. 5. The learned Public Prosecutor opposed the application. He submitted that the investigation is in progress. He made available the accident register cum wound certificate of the three injured dated 27.2.2024 5 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 issued by the Community Health Centre, Kalady to substantiate his assertion. He contended that if the petitioner is released on bail, there is every likelihood of him intimidating the witnesses and tampering with the evidence. Hence, the application may be dismissed. 6. The crux of the prosecution case is that the accused 1 and 2 in furtherance of their common intention had restrained the de facto complainant and caused injuries to him and his two friends. On a perusal of the accident register cum certificate of the three injured, namely, the de facto complainant and his friends Adhil and Joson, shows that all of them only sustained abrasions on different parts of their body. Therefore, I am prima facie of the view that the offence under Sec.308 not be attracted. may 6 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 Notwithstanding the above observations, it is the fact that the petitioner has been in judicial custody since 28.2.2024. 7. After bestowing my anxious consideration to the facts, rival submission made across the Bar, the materials placed on record and the findings rendered above, I am of the view that the petitioner’s continued detention is unnecessary, especially since recovery has been effected and the petitioner does not have any criminal antecedents. Hence, I am inclined to allow the bail application. In the result, the application is allowed, by directing the petitioner to be released on bail on him executing a bond for Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) with two solvent sureties each for the like sum, to the 7 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 satisfaction of the court having jurisdiction, which shall be subject to the following conditions: (i) The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer on every Saturday between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m for a period of one month or till the final report is laid, whichever is earlier. He shall also appear before the Investigating Officer as and when required; (ii) The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or procure to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or to any Police Officer or tamper with the evidence in any manner, whatsoever; (iii) The petitioner shall not commit any offence while he is on bail; 8 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 (iv) The petitioner shall surrender his passport, if any, before the court below at the time of execution of the bond. If he has no passport, he shall file an affidavit to the effect before the court below on the date of execution of the bond; (v) The petitioner shall furnish his present address and permanent address, and his mobile phone number to the court below and the Investigating Officer; (vi) In case of violation of any of the conditions mentioned above, the jurisdictional court shall be empowered to consider the application for cancellation of bail, if any filed, and pass orders on the same, in accordance with law. 9 Bail Application No. 1849 of 2024 (vii) Applications for deletion/modification of the bail conditions shall be moved and entertained by the court below. (viii) Needless to mention, it would be well within the powers of the Investigating Officer to investigate the matter and, if necessary, to effect recoveries on the information, if any, given by the petitioner even while the petitioner is on bail as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in **Sushila** **Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) and another [2020 (1)** **KHC 663].** sd/- sks/13.3.2024 **C.S.DIAS, JUDGE**