Dijith Surenran v. State of Kerala
Case Details & Bench
- Court
- High Court of Kerala
- Hon'ble Judges
- C.S. Dias
- Judgment Date
- 2024-04-11
- Court Decision / Holding
- The petition is allowed; the petitioner is released on bail on a bond of Rs.1,00,000 with two solvent sureties of Rs.1,00,000 each, on conditions including weekly appearances before the IO, no inducement or tampering, no commission of offences while on bail, surrender of passport if any, and liberty for the IO to investigate or recover information even while on bail, as supported by Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) and another.
- Final Disposition
- Bail granted to the petitioner on terms stated above.
Parties to the Case
Appellants / Petitioners
- Dijith Surenran
Respondents
- State of Kerala represented by Public Prosecutor, High Court of Kerala
- Station House Officer, Pudukkad Police Station, Thrissur
Legal Representation & Advocates
Counsels for Petitioners
- • Bindumol Joseph
- • V. Harikrishnan
- • Riyas M.B.
Counsels for Respondents
- • Smt. Neema T.V., Public Prosecutor
Case Synopsis & Summary
This bail petition under section 439 CrPC concerns the second accused in Crime No. 209/2024 of Pudukkad Police Station, Thrissur, alleged to have committed offences under sections 22(b) and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985, based on recovery of 3.2 grams of MDMA. The crux of the prosecution case is that, on 25.02.2024, the first accused was found in suspicious circumstances; during a body search, 3.2 grams of MDMA were recovered, and in the confession of the first accused, the second accused was implicated. The petitioner contends innocence, false implication, and notes that he has no criminal antecedents, has been in judicial custody since 25.02.2024, and that the contraband is of intermediate quantity; the investigation is effectively complete with recovery already effected. The prosecutor counters with the ongoing nature of the investigation and the possibility of re-offending if released, but concedes the lack of prior antecedents and the intermediate quantity. After considering the material, the court recognizes the intermediate quantity, the completed investigation, and lack of antecedents, and concludes that further detention is unnecessary. The court grants bail on a bond of Rs.1,00,000 with two sureties, subject to standard conditions including weekly appearances, no inducement or tampering, non-commission of offences on bail, passport surrender, and authority for police to proceed with recoveries if needed, citing the Supreme Court’s guidance in Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi). The order thereby releases the petitioner on bail.”
Provisions of Law Cited
Submissions & Arguments
Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners
The petitioner argued total innocence, false implication, and highlighted that he has no criminal antecedents. He has been in judicial custody since 25.02.2024, the contraband is of intermediate quantity, and the investigation is practically complete with the recovery effected. Therefore, detention beyond this stage is unnecessary, and he seeks bail.
Contentions of Respondents
The Public Prosecutor opposed bail, citing ongoing investigation and the possibility of the accused committing similar offences if released. She acknowledged the lack of prior antecedents and the intermediate quantity of contraband but urged continued detention until the investigation is complete.
Cited Precedents (1)
| Case Name | Citation | Treatment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi) and another | 2020 (1) KHC 663 | Positive | Cited to justify that the Investigating Officer may continue investigation and effect recoveries even while the accused is on bail, following Supreme Court guidance. |
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