Lakshmi Leela vs State Of Tamil Nadu

C.Kumarappan, J

The petitioner, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 25.02.2026 for the alleged offences under Sections 3(1), 4(2)(c) and 5(1)(a) of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 and Section 351(3) of BNS, 2023, in Crime No.45 of 2026, on the file of the respondent police, seeks bail.

The prosecution case is that the petitioner, along with the other accused, in the guise of running a SPA, conducted prostitution. Hence, the case.

The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is innocent and she has not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution. He would further submit that the petitioner has been under incarceration since 25.02.2026. He would further submit that the petitioner is ready to abide by any condition that may be imposed by this Court. Hence, he prays for the grant of bail to the petitioner.

The learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) appearing for the respondent submitted that there are totally two accused in this case, in which, the petitioner is arrayed as A1. He however submitted that there are no previous cases against this petitioner.

I have given anxious consideration to the submissions made by the learned counsel on either side.

From the submissions made by the learned Government Advocate, this petitioner is doing prostitution under the guise of running a SPA. However, the While looking at the incarceration, this petitioner, being a woman is under incarceration since 25.02.2026 and there is no previous case against her. Considering such facts, this Court is inclined to enlarge her on bail with certain conditions:

Accordingly, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail on her executing a bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only), with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the Judicial Magistrate, Katpadi, and subject to the following conditions:

[a] the sureties shall affix their photographs and Left Thumb Impression in the Application for Surety ship [Judicial Form No.46 annexed to 'The Criminal Rules of Practice, 2019']. The learned Magistrate shall obtain a copy of any one of the identity proofs to ensure their identity;

[b] the petitioner shall report before the respondent police everyday at 10.30 a.m for a period of two weeks and thereafter as and when required for interrogation;

[c] the petitioner shall not abscond either during investigation or trial;

[d] the petitioner shall not tamper with the evidence or witness either during investigation or trial;

[e] on breach of any of the aforementioned conditions, the learned Magistrate/Trial Court is entitled to take law as if the conditions had been imposed and the petitioners released on bail by the learned Magistrate/Trial Court itself, as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in P.K.Shaji vs. State of Kerala [(2005)13 SCC 283];

[f] if the petitioners thereafter abscond, a fresh FIR may be registered under Section 269 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.