Anseer Darimi v. State of Kerala

BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 1 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN** **FRIDAY, THE 28[TH] DAY OF MARCH 2025 / 7TH CHAITHRA, 1947** ## **BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025** **CRIME NO.1362/2024 OF Vadakara Police Station, Kozhikode** **AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN Bail Appl. NO.3357 OF 2025 OF HIGH COURT OF KERALA** ## **PETITIONER/S:** **ANSEER DARIMI AGED 37 YEARS** **S/OASHRAF, RESIDING AT UDIRU PARAMBIL(H), THIKKODI P.O., THIKKODI VILLAGE, KOYILANDY TALUK, KOZHIKODE DISTRICT., PIN - 673529** **BY ADVS. M.PROMODH KUMAR MAYA CHANDRAN** ## **RESPONDENT/S:** **1 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF KERALA, PIN - 682031** - **2 XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX** BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 2 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 ## **OTHER PRESENT:** ## **SR PP-NOUSHAD K A** **THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 28.03.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 3 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J** **–-------------------------------------** **B.A. No. 4340 of 2025 -------------------------------------Dated this the 28[th] day of March, 2025** ## **O R D E R** This Bail Application is filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. 2. Petitioner is an accused in Crime No. 1362/2024 of Vadakara Police Station. The above case is registered against the petitioner alleging offences punishable under Sections 352(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) and Secs. 3(a) r/w 4, 3(c) r/w 4, 5(f) r/w 6 and 11(vi) r/w 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. 3. The prosecution case is that the petitioner, a Madrassa Teacher, subjected the survivor, aged 13 BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 4 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 years to aggravated penetrative sexual assault inside his room on the first week of November, 2024 and gave him money for not disclosing the same to others and this had repeated for about one month. Hence, it is alleged that the accused committed the offences. 4. Heard counsel for the petitioner and the Public Prosecutor. 5. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is in custody from 18.02.2025. The counsel submitted that the petitioner is ready to abide any conditions, if this Court grants him bail. The Public Prosecutor seriously opposed the bail application. The Public Prosecutor submitted that, a boy aged 13 years is sexually abused by the petitioner, who was a Madrassa teacher. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that he may not be released on bail, at this stage. 6. It is true that the allegation against the BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 5 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 petitioner is very serious. The petitioner earlier filed a bail application under Sec. 482 BNSS for anticipatory bail. This Court was not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. At that stage, the counsel for the petitioner submitted that he is ready to surrender before the investigating officer. Accordingly, this court as per the order dated 05.02.2025 in BA No. 1035/2025 directed the petitioner to surrender before the investigating officer. Accordingly, he surrendered on 18.03.2025. From that date onwards, the petitioner is in custody. Subsequently, the petitioner filed a bail application before this Court as BA No. 3357/2025. After hearing both sides, this Court was not inclined to grant bail. At that time, the counsel for the petitioner want to withdraw this bail application, with liberty to move again, after two weeks. Accordingly, the present bail application is filed. Considering the period of detention, I think the petitioner can be released on bail, BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 6 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 after imposing stringent conditions. There can be a direction to the petitioner not to enter the jurisdictional limit of Vatakara Police Station except for the appearance before the jurisdictional court, for two months. 7. Moreover, it is a well accepted principle that the bail is the rule and the jail is the exception. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in **Chidambaram. P v Directorate of Enforcement [2019 (16) SCALE 870],** after considering all the earlier judgments, observed that, the basic jurisprudence relating to bail remains the same inasmuch as the grant of bail is the rule and refusal is the exception so as to ensure that the accused has the opportunity of securing fair trial. 8. Moreover, in **Jalaluddin Khan v. Union of India [2024 KHC 6431]** , the Hon'ble Supreme Court observed that: “21. Before we part with the Judgment, we must mention here that the Special Court and the High BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 7 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 Court did not consider the material in the charge sheet objectively. Perhaps the focus was more on the activities of PFI, and therefore, the appellant's case could not be properly appreciated. When a case is made out for a grant of bail, the Courts should not have any hesitation in granting bail. The allegations of the prosecution may be very serious. But, the duty of the Courts is to consider the case for grant of bail in accordance with the law. "Bail is the rule and jail is an exception" is a settled law. Even in a case like the present case where there are stringent conditions for the grant of bail in the relevant statutes, the same rule holds good with only modification that the bail can be granted if the conditions in the statute are satisfied. The rule also means that once a case is made out for the grant of bail, the Court cannot decline to grant bail. If the Courts start denying bail in deserving cases, it will be a violation of the rights guaranteed under Art.21 of our Constitution.” (underline supplied) ## 9. In **Manish Sisodia v. Directorate of** ## **Enforcement [2024 KHC 6426]** , also the Hon'ble Supreme Court observed that: “53. The Court further observed that, over a period of time, the trial courts and the High Courts have BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 8 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 forgotten a very well - settled principle of law that bail is not to be withheld as a punishment. From our experience, we can say that it appears that the trial courts and the High Courts attempt to play safe in matters of grant of bail. The principle that bail is a rule and refusal is an exception is, at times, followed in breach. On account of non - grant of bail even in straight forward open and shut cases, this Court is flooded with huge number of bail petitions thereby adding to the huge pendency. It is high time that the trial courts and the High Courts should recognize the principle that "bail is rule and jail is exception".” 10. Considering the dictum laid down in the above decision and considering the facts and circumstances of this case, this Bail Application is allowed with the following directions: 1. Petitioner shall be released on bail on executing a bond for Rs.50,000/(Rupees Fifty Thousand only) with two solvent sureties each for the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Court. BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 9 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 2. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer for interrogation as and when required. The petitioner shall co-operate with the investigation and shall not, directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him/her from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer. 3. Petitioner shall not leave India without permission of the jurisdictional Court. 4. Petitioner shall not commit an offence similar to the offence of which he is accused, or suspected, of the commission of which he is suspected. BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 10 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 5. The observations and findings in this order is only for the purpose of deciding this bail application. The principle laid down by this Court in **Anzar Azeez v. State of Kerala** [2025 SCC OnLine KER 1260] is applicable in this case also. 6. The petitioner shall not enter the jurisdictional limit of Vatakara Police Station except for the appearance before the jurisdictional court, for two months. 7. If any of the above conditions are violated by the petitioner, the jurisdictional Court can cancel the bail in accordance to law, even though the bail is granted by this Court. The prosecution and the victim are BAIL APPL. NO. 4340 OF 2025 11 **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 2025:KER:26933 at liberty to approach the jurisdictional court to cancel the bail, if there is any violation of the above conditions. **sd/-** **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE** SKS