Shyni. P vs State Of Kerala

This Bail Application filed under Section 438 of Criminal Procedure Code was heard through Video Conference.

Petitioner is the accused in Crime No.466 of 2020 of Pattambi Police Station. The above case is registered against the petitioner alleging offences

punishable under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act & Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

The prosecution case is that the petitioner abandoned her minor children and eloped with her lover. The children are aged 17 and 13 respectively.

Heard the counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor.

The counsel for the petitioner submitted that the only non-bailable offence alleged against the petitioner is under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice

(Care and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. The counsel submitted that even if the entire allegations are accepted, no offence under

Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act is made out. The counsel submitted that abandonment is defined in Section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act. The

counsel submitted that the offence under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act is not attracted in the facts and circumstances of the case. The

counsel submitted that the petitioner was mentally and physically harassed by her husband and therefore, she left the matrimonial house. There is no

abandonment as alleged by the prosecution.

The Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application. The Public Prosecutor submitted that the petitioner committed serious offences.

After hearing both sides, I think, this bail application can be allowed on stringent conditions. Whether the offence under Section 75 of the Juvenile

Justice Act is attracted in the facts and circumstances of the case is a matter to be investigated by the investigating officer. I don't want to make any

observation on the merit of the case. Considering the entire facts and circumstances of the case, I think this bail application can be allowed on

stringent conditions.

Moreover, considering the need to follow social distancing norms inside prisons so as to avert the spread of the novel Corona Virus Pandemic, the

Hon'ble Supreme Court in Re: Contagion of COVID-19 Virus In Prisons case (Suo Motu Writ Petition(C) No.1 of 2020) and a Full Bench of this

Court in W.P(C)No.9400 of 2020 issued various salutary directions for minimizing the number of inmates inside prisons.

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 securing

fair trial.

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:

The petitioner shall appear before the Investigating Officer within ten days from today and shall undergo interrogation.

After interrogation, if the Investigating Officer propose to arrest the petitioner, he shall be released on bail 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 officer concerned.

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.

Petitioner shall not leave India without permission of the Court.

Petitioner shall not commit an offence similar to the offence of which he is accused, or suspected, of the commission of which she is suspected.

The petitioner shall strictly abide by the various guidelines issued by the State Government and Central Government with respect to keeping of

social distancing in the wake of Covid 19 pandemic.

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.