ORDER :

1. The State has filed this Petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (for brevity “the Code”) seeking to set aside the order granting regular bail to the respondent by the Judicial Magistrate of the First Class, Thiruvananthapuram.

2. The factual background of the proceedings under challenge can be briefly set out in the following lines:

About an hour after midnight on 3.8.2019, Sri. K. Muhammed Basheer, the Unit Chief of “Siraj Daily” was returning back home in a Bike. At or about the same time, the respondent herein, who is a young IAS officer and occupying a prominent position in the administrative setup in the State, after some personal engagement, exchanged messages with his female friend and requested her to give him a lift to his place of residence. She was asked to come to a spot near Kawdiar, Thiruvananthapuram in her car. She obliged and she reached the place as requested and found the respondent. The respondent offered to drive the car and his request was acceded to by the lady. She sat on the passenger seat. After taking on the wheels, the respondent is alleged to have driven the vehicle in a very rash and negligent manner and that too, at break