High Court of KeralaSingle JudgeAnticipatory bail granted to the applicants wit...

Sulaiman and Hajara v. State of Kerala

Case / Petition Number:BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022
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Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court of Kerala
Hon'ble Judges
  • A. Badharudeen
Judgment Date
2022-05-10
Court Decision / Holding
Anticipatory bail granted to the petitioners with conditions: surrender before the Investigating Officer on or before 20.05.2022 between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.; upon surrender the officer may interrogate and, if arrested, the petitioners must be produced before the jurisdictional Magistrate; the Magistrate shall release on bail on bonds of Rs.50,000 each with two solvent sureties; the petitioners must cooperate with the investigation and comply with Covid-19 restrictions; not to disobey orders or commit any crime during the bail period; violation may lead to cancellation of bail.
Final Disposition
Anticipatory bail granted to the applicants with specified conditions.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Sulaiman
  • Hajara

Respondents

  • State of Kerala represented by Public Prosecutor

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • V. A. Johnson (Varikkappallil)

Counsels for Respondents

  • • Public Prosecutor
  • • Smt Sreeja V - Sr P.P

Case Synopsis & Summary

This bail application under section 438 Cr.P.C. is filed by Sulaiman and Hajara, husband and wife, accused in Crime No. 206/2022 at Pazhayannur Police Station, Thirissur. The prosecution charges them with offences under sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 read with 34 IPC, and section 31(1) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the latter being a non-bailable offence. The alleged incident occurred on 10.04.2022 at about 19:30 hours, when the first accused allegedly disobeyed a protection order issued by the Magistrate under the PWDV Act, thereby committing Section 31(1) of the Act. The case appears to hinge on a matrimonial dispute between the parties. The petitioners’ counsel contends their innocence and asserts they were unaware of the interim ex parte order, arguing that any violation was not willful, and they offer full cooperation with the investigation, seeking anticipatory bail. The Public Prosecutor opposes bail, contending that the accused willfully violated the protection order and require arrest and custodial interrogation. The court notes the matrimonial dispute and underlying rivalry, yet observes that investigation can proceed without arrest. It grants anticipatory bail with conditions: surrender to the investigating officer by 20.05.2022 between 9 and 11 a.m.; on surrender the officer may interrogate, and if arrested, they must be produced before the jurisdictional magistrate; bonds of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties; compliance with Covid restrictions; cooperation with the investigation; and a prohibition on disobeying orders or committing new crimes, with bail liable to cancellation on violation.

Provisions of Law Cited

Section 341 IPCSection 323 IPCSection 506 IPCSection 34 IPCSection 31(1) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The petitioners submitted that they are innocent and unaware of the interim ex parte order; they contend there was no willful disobedience of the order and offer cooperation in the investigation, pressing for anticipatory bail to avoid arrest and custodial interrogation.

Contentions of Respondents

The Public Prosecutor opposed bail, contending that the petitioners willfully violated the protection order under the PWDV Act and that arrest and custodial interrogation are necessary for fair investigation; the disputes between the parties reflect matrimonial tensions that require cautious handling.

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Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

# **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A. BADHARUDEEN TUESDAY, THE 10[TH] DAY OF MAY 2022 / 20TH VAISAKHA, 1944** **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** ## **APPLICANTS/ACCUSED NOS.1 AND 2:** 1 SULAIMAN AGED 45 YEARS SON OF MUHAMMED, THIRUVILWAMALA, PAZHAYANNUR, THRISSUR, PIN – 680588 NOW RESIDING AT SULAIMAN MAZIL, KALLIVALAPPIL HOUSE, MATHUR.P.O, PALAKKAD-678571. 2 HAJARA AGED 36 YEARS WIFE OF SULAIMAN, THIRUVILWAMALA, PAZHAYANNUR, THRISSUR, PIN – 680588 NOW RESIDING AT SULAIMAN MAZIL, KALLIVALAPPIL HOUSE, MATHUR.P.O, PALAKKAD-678571. BY ADV V.A.JOHNSON (VARIKKAPPALLIL) ## **RESPONDENT/COMPLAINTANT AND STATE:** STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF KERALA, PIN - 682031 BY ADV PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT SREEJA V - SR P.P THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 10.05.2022, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **2** ## **A.BADHARUDEEN,J.** **-------------------------** **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** ----------------------Dated this the 10th day of May, 2022 ## **O R D E R** Petitioners who are husband and wife got arrayed as accused Nos.1 and 2 in Crime No.206/2022 of Pazhayannur Police Station seek the relief of pre-arrest bail in this petition filed under Section 438 of Cr.P.C. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners as well as the learned Public Prosecutor. 3. Here the prosecution alleges commission of offence under Sections 341, 323, 506 read with 34 of the IPC as well as under Section 31(1) of Protection of Women from Domestic **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **3** Violence Act, 2005 (“PWDV Act” for short). Out of which 31(1) of “PWDV Act” is the non bailable offence. The prosecution case is that on 10.04.2022 at about 19.30 hours, the 1[st] accused disobeyed the protection order given by the learned Magistrate under the “PWDV Act” and thereby committed offence under Section 31(1) of the “PWDV Act” . 4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners are innocent and they are not aware of the interim exparte order passed by the Magistrate and therefore, they have not violated the order willfully. He offered co-operation in the matter of investigation and thereby pressed for granting anticipatory bail. 5. The learned Public Prosecutor opposed the bail. He supported the prosecution allegation on the submission that the **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **4** petitioners willfully violated protection order granted by the learned Magistrate Court and therefore, arrest and custodial interrogation are insisted. 6. On perusal of case diary it is noticed that matrimonial dispute and rivalry in between the parties are the crux of the dispute. Therefore, though prosecution case is prima facie made out. However, whether the petitioners are aware of the interim exparte order passed and willfully violated the same are matters of investigation. I leave the same to the domain of the Investigating Officer for fair and proper investigation. I am of the view that the investigation can be materialised even without arrest and custodial interrogation of the petitioners. Therefore, they can be released on anticipatory bail with a direction to cooperate with the investigation on the **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **5** following conditions:- i. The petitioners shall surrender before the Investigating Officer on or before 20.05.2022 between 9 a.m and 11 a.m. on such surrender, the Investigating Officer can interrogate the petitioners and in the event of their arrest, the petitioners shall be produced before the jurisdictional court on the day of arrest itself. On such production, the jurisdictional Magistrate shall release the petitioners on bail, on executing bonds for Rs.50,000/-(Rupees Fifty thousand) each with two solvent sureties, each for the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Magistrate. In case the petitioners fail to surrender before the Investigating Officer, the Investigating Officer is at **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **==> picture [8 x 9] intentionally omitted <==** liberty to arrest the petitioners forthwith. ii. The petitioners shall co-operate with Covid-19 restrictions. iii. The petitioners shall co-operate with the investigation and shall appear before the Investigating Officer as and when directed, till the final report is filed. The first accused is specifically directed to co-operate with the investigation in the matter of recovery as well. iv. The petitioners, shall not, directly or indirectly disobey the order of the Magistrate or any other Court in any manner. v. The petitioners are specifically directed not to involve in any crimes during the currency of bail and any such **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **==> picture [8 x 9] intentionally omitted <==** involvement or violation of the above conditions, if reported or came to the notice of the court will be a reason to cancel the bail hereby granted. Sd/- ## **A. BADHARUDEEN** **JUDGE** SAS **BAIL APPL. NO. 3125 OF 2022** **8** ## **APPENDIX OF BAIL APPL. 3125/2022** APPLICANTS' ANNEXURES Annexure1 CITIZEN COPY OF THE F.I.R.NO.206/2022 OF PAZHAYANNUR POLICE STATION, THRISSUR CITY DATED 11.04.2022 Annexure2 TRUE COPY OF THE M.C.NO.14/2022 OF THE COURT OF JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE, WADAKKENCHERRY DATED 31.01.2022