O R D E R

Dated this the 26th day of May 2020 This is an application for anticipatory bail.

2. The petitioner is arraigned as the accused in Crime No.96/2020 of Adoor Excise Range Office, for having allegedly committed the offences punishable under Sections 8 (1) & (2) and 55(g) of the Kerala Abkari Act . The prosecution case in brief is that on 15.04.2020, the Excise Inspector, Adoor on special duty reached Chernikal and got a reliable information that the petitioner is brewing illicit arrack in a property bearing the house name Jaya Bhavan. On reaching the place it was revealed that the house is locked from the front and on further inspection, the northern side of the premise was partly opened and the Excise officials entered therein and found ten litres of illicit arrack in a black can in the kitchen. The Excise party also recovered wash for brewing the arrack in three cans and in an aluminum bucket from the said place.

3. The house belongs to one Devarajan and was allegedly leased out to the accused, who had in turn, allegedly entrusted the house to two persons for distillation of arrack. Consequently, the accused has been implicated in the crime.

4. The petitioner states that he