Rajagopal v. State of Kerala

``` 2025:KER:28158 ``` ``` 1 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** ## **`BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025`** ``` IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM ``` ## **`PRESENT`** ``` THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN ``` ``` WEDNESDAY, THE 2[ND] DAY OF APRIL 2025 / 12TH CHAITHRA, 1947 ``` ``` BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025 ``` ``` CRIME NO.958/2024 OF Chingavanam Police Station, Kottayam ``` ## **`PETITIONER/ACCUSED:`** ``` RAJAGOPAL AGED 39 YEARS S/O.SASIDHARAN, NADUVILEDATHU HOUSE, MEENADOM P.O., KOTTAYAM TALUK, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT., PIN - 686516 ``` ``` BY ADVS. RAYJITH MARK ANISH LUKOSE ``` ## **`RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT:`** ``` STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682031 ``` ## **`OTHER PRESENT:`** ## **`SR PP-HRITHWIK C S`** ``` THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 02.04.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ``` ``` BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025 ``` ``` 2 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** ``` 2025:KER:28158 ``` ## **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J.** **-------------------------------B.A.No.4302 of 2025** **---------------------------------------------Dated this the 02[nd] day of April, 2025** ## **ORDER** This Bail Application is filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. 2. Petitioner is the 3[rd] accused in Crime No.958/2024 of Chingavanam Police Station. The above case is registered against the petitioner and others alleging offences punishable under Sections 74, 76, 115(2), 332(c) and 296(b) r/w.3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (for short, BNS). 3. The prosecution case is that, on 12.08.2024, at about 10.10 p.m. the accused persons trespassed into the rented house of the defacto complainant, wrongfully restrained her, abused her using obscene words, assaulted her with hands and tore her nightie. Hence it is alleged that the accused committed the offence. ``` 2025:KER:28158 ``` ``` 3 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** ## **`BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025`** 4. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor. 5. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that even if the entire allegations are accepted, the offences alleged are not attracted. The counsel submitted that the petitioner is ready to abide any conditions if this Court grant him bail. The Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application. 6. This Court considered the contentions of the petitioner and the Public Prosecutor. The main non-bailable offences alleged are under Sections 74 and 76 of BNS. A perusal of the prosecution case would show that the main intention of the accused is to assault the victim. In such circumstances whether the ingredients of Sections 74 and 76 of BNS are attracted is a matter to be investigated. I do not want to make any observation about the same. It is submitted by the counsel for the petitioner that the co-accused were already released on bail after arrest. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, I think the petitioner can be released on bail after imposing stringent conditions. 7. Moreover, it is a well accepted principle that ``` 4 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:28158` ## **`BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025`** 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. Recently the Apex Court in **Siddharth v State of Uttar Pradesh and Another [2021(5)KHC 353]** considered the point in detail. The relevant paragraph of the above judgment is extracted hereunder: “12. We may note that personal liberty is an important aspect of our constitutional mandate. The occasion to arrest an accused during investigation arises when custodial investigation becomes necessary or it is a heinous crime or where there is a possibility of influencing the witnesses or accused may abscond. Merely because an arrest can be made because it is lawful does not mandate that arrest must be ``` 2025:KER:28158 ``` ``` BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025 ``` ``` 5 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** made. A distinction must be made between the existence of the power to arrest and the justification for exercise of it. (Joginder Kumar v. State of UP and Others (1994 KHC 189: (1994) 4 SCC 260: 1994 (1) KLT 919: 1994 (2) KLJ 97: AIR 1994 SC 1349: 1994 CriLJ 1981)) If arrest is made routine, it can cause incalculable harm to the reputation and self-esteem of a person. If the Investigating Officer has no reason to believe that the accused will abscond or disobey summons and has, in fact, throughout cooperated with the investigation we fail to appreciate why there should be a compulsion on the officer to arrest the accused.” 9. In **Manish Sisodia v. Central Bureau of Investigation [2023 KHC 6961]** , the Apex Court observed that even if the allegation is one of grave economic offence, it is not a rule that bail should be denied in every case. 10. Considering the dictum laid down in the above decision and considering the facts and circumstances of this case, I think bail can be granted after imposing stringent ``` 2025:KER:28158 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** ## **`BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025`** ## **`6`** conditions. Therefore, this Bail Application is allowed with the following directions: 1. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer within two weeks from today and shall undergo interrogation. 2. After interrogation, if the Investigating Officer propose to arrest the petitioner, he shall be released on bail on executing a bond for a sum of Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) with two solvent sureties each for the like sum to the satisfaction of the arresting officer concerned. 3. The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer for interrogation as and when required. The petitioner shall cooperate with the investigation and shall not, directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any ``` 7 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:28158` ## **`BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025`** 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. 4. Petitioner shall not leave India without permission of the jurisdictional Court. 5. 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. 6. 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]. 7. The observations and findings in this order ``` 2025:KER:28158 ``` ``` BAIL APPL. NO. 4302 OF 2025 ``` ``` 8 ``` **==> picture [58 x 57] intentionally omitted <==** 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. 8. 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 at liberty to approach the jurisdictional Court to cancel the bail, if any of the above conditions are violated. JV sd/- **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE**