Thomas Abraham P vs State Of Kerala

Dr. Kauser Edappagath, J

This application is filed u/s 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking pre-arrest bail.

The applicants are the accused Nos.1 to 3 in Crime No.196/2023 of Ayarkunnam Police Station. The offences alleged are punishable under Section 498A of IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

The prosecution case, in short, is that the de facto complainant was subjected to cruelty both physically and mentally by the applicants demanding more dowry and thereby committed the above said offence.

I have heard Sri.T.K.Biju (Manjinikara), the learned counsel for the applicants and Sri.M P Prasanth, the learned Public Prosecutor. Perused the case diary.

The learned counsel for the applicants submitted that the applicants are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the present case. The counsel further submitted that no materials are on record to connect the applicants with the alleged crime; hence, they are entitled to get bail. The learned Public Prosecutor, on the other hand, submitted that the alleged incident occurred as a part of the intentional criminal acts of the applicants, and if they are released on bail at this stage, it will affect the course of the investigation.

The 1st applicant is the husband of the de facto complainant. The 2nd and 3rd applicants are the parents of the 1st applicant. The investigation is over and the final report has already been filed. The applicants have no criminal antecedents. Considering the allegations levelled against the applicants, their custodial interrogation does not appear to be necessary. For these reasons, it is a fit case where pre-arrest bail can be granted to the applicants.

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

(i) The applicants shall be released on bail in the event of their arrest on executing a bond for Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One lakh only) each with two solvent sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the arresting officer/investigating officer, as the case may be.

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

(iii) The applicants 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.

(iv) The applicants shall not leave the State of Kerala without the permission of the trial Court.

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