Saji Thomas vs State Of Kerala

Dr. Kauser Edappagath, J

This application is filed u/s 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking regular bail.

The applicant is the sole accused in Crime No.543/2023 of Ernakulam Town South Police Station. The offences alleged are punishable under Sections 376(2)(n), 506, 509(i) of IPC.

The prosecution case, in short, is that the applicant pretending love enticed the victim and committed rape on her during the period from 06.10.2022 to 15.02.2023 at various places and also criminally intimidated her by threatening that he would destroy her family by showing her photos with him to her husband and children and thereby committed the offence.

I have heard Sri.Ajmal, the learned counsel for the applicant and Sri.Prasanth M.P., the learned Public Prosecutor. Perused the case diary.

The learned counsel for the applicant submitted that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the present case. The counsel further submitted that no materials are on record to connect the applicant with the alleged crime; hence, he is entitled to get bail. On the other hand, the learned Public Prosecutor submitted that the alleged incident occurred as a part of the intentional criminal acts of the applicant, and he is not entitled to bail at this stage.

I went though the FIS. The victim is a married lady having two children and the applicant is a priest. A reading of FIS would show that they had long standing relationship and had consensual sex on various occasions at different places. It appears that ultimately their relationship strained, the victim filed a complaint and the crime was registered. The applicant was remanded to judicial custody on 18.02.2023. He has no criminal antecedents. For all these reasons, I do not find any reason to hold that the continued detention of the applicant is required for any purpose. Hence, the applicant is entitled to be released on bail.

In the result, the application is allowed on the following conditions: -

(i) The applicant shall be released on bail on executing a bond for Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One lakh only) with two solvent sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional Magistrate/Court.

(ii) The applicant shall fully co-operate with the investigation.

(iii) The applicant shall appear before the investigating officer between 10.00 a.m and 11.00 a.m. on every Saturday until further orders. He shall also appear before the investigating officer as and when required.

(iv) The applicant shall not commit any offence of a like nature while on bail.

(v) The applicant shall not attempt to contact any of the prosecution witnesses, directly or through any other person, or in any other way try to tamper with the evidence or influence any witnesses or other persons related to the investigation.

(vi) The applicant shall not leave the State of Kerala without the permission of the trial Court.

(vii) The application, if any, for deletion/modification of the bail conditions or cancellation of bail on the grounds of violating the bail conditions shall be filed at the jurisdictional court.