Shyamkumar S v. State of Kerala

``` 2025:KER:31585 ``` **==> picture [57 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** # **`IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM`** ## **`PRESENT`** ``` THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN ``` ``` THURSDAY, THE 10[TH] DAY OF APRIL 2025/20TH CHAITHRA, 1947 ``` ``` BAIL APPL. NO. 4424 OF 2025 ``` ``` CRIME NO.219/2025 OF TOWN NORTH POLICE STATION, PALAKKAD ``` ## **`PETITIONER/ACCUSED:`** ``` SHYAMKUMAR S AGED 31 YEARS,/O. SASIKUMAR, GEETANJALI HOUSE, KALLIKKAD, PALLIPPURAM, PALAKKAD DISTRICT., PIN – 695 572. ``` ## **`BY ADV NIREESH MATHEW`** ## **`RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT-STATE:`** ``` STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR, HIGH COURT OF KERALA, ERNAKULAM, KOCHI., PIN – 682 031. ``` ``` BY ADV G SUDHEER, PP ``` ``` THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 10.04.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: ``` ``` 2025:KER:31585 ``` B.A No.4424 of 2025 **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** 2 **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J -------------------------------B.A.No.4424 of 2025** ## **------------------------------Dated this the 10[th] day of April, 2025** ## **O R D E R** This Bail Application is filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. 2. Petitioner is the accused in Crime No.219 of 2025 of Town North Police Station, Palakkad. The above case is registered against the petitioner alleging offences punishable under Sections 329(3), 126(2), 115(2), 118(1), 190, 189, 110, 191(2) and 191(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (for short ‘BNS’). 3. The prosecution case is that 16.02.2025 at about 01:30 a.m., the accused persons who were having enmity towards the injured for the reason that he had earlier questioned consumption of alcohol in the parking area of TT Restaurant, came in a car armed with dangerous weapons like dagger and iron rod formed themselves into **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:31585` B.A No.4424 of 2025 3 an unlawful assembly and accused Nos. 1 and 2 wrongfully restrained the owner of TT restaurant and the defacto complainant, and the 1[st] accused inflicted a cut injury on the leg of the injured. The 2[nd] accused beat the 1[st] informant on his left hand using an iron rod. When a staff of the hotel named Ameer tried to intervene accused Nos.3 to 5 fisted and kicked him. The owner of the shop had fallen down and the 1[st] accused using the dagger attempted to cut on his neck which he evaded and if not have evaded he could have sustained serious injuries. 4. Heard counsel for the petitioner and the Public Prosecutor. 5. Counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner’s name is not even mentioned in the First Information Statement (FIS). The counsel submitted that the petitioner is ready to abide any conditions, if this Court grants him bail. 6. Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application. The Public Prosecutor submitted that this Court **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:31585` ## B.A No.4424 of 2025 4 has not inclined to grant bail to accused Nos.1 and 3 and this Court directed to surrender them before the Investigating Officer. 7. This Court considered the contention of the petitioner and the Public Prosecutor. It is true that this Court directed accused Nos.1 and 3 to surrender before the Investigating Officer, because, their name is mentioned in the FIS. But, the petitioner, who is now arraigned as the 2[nd] accused, is not named in the FIS. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, I think bail can be granted to the petitioner after imposing stringent conditions. 8. 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 5 **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ``` 2025:KER:31585 ``` B.A No.4424 of 2025 securing fair trial. 9. 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 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 **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:31585` ## B.A No.4424 of 2025 6 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.” ## 10. 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. 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. 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 **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:31585` ## B.A No.4424 of 2025 7 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 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 from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer. 4. Petitioner shall not leave India without permission of the jurisdictional Court. **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ## `2025:KER:31585` ## B.A No.4424 of 2025 8 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 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. **==> picture [58 x 58] intentionally omitted <==** ``` 2025:KER:31585 ``` B.A No.4424 of 2025 9 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. Sd/- **P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN JUDGE** AMR