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2024 Supreme(Online)(KER) 8757

HIGH COURT OF KERALA
C.S. DIAS, J
MUHAMMED AJMAL – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF KERALA – Respondent
Bail Appl. 3824/2024



Advocates:
SACHIN.P.KR., MAHESH MENON, SMT SEETHA S, SRI SREEDEV

The court has the power to grant pre-arrest bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, subject to conditions to ensure the accused's cooperation with the investigation and prevent tampering of evidence or commission of further offenses.

Headnote:

Criminal Procedure - Section 438 - Pre-Arrest Bail

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner is the accused in a criminal case registered under Sections 420 and 406 of the Indian Penal Code. The petitioner filed an application under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, for an order of pre-arrest bail.

Finding of the Court:

The court allowed the bail application by making the interim order absolute, subject to certain conditions to ensure the petitioner's cooperation with the investigation and to prevent him from tampering with evidence or committing any further offenses.

Issues: Whether the petitioner should be granted pre-arrest bail under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.

Ratio Decidendi: The court considered the petitioner's cooperation with the investigation and the need to prevent him from tampering with evidence or committing any further offenses, and accordingly granted pre-arrest bail subject to certain conditions.

Final Decision: The bail application is allowed.

O R D E R

The application is filed under Section 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 , for an order of pre-

arrest bail.

2. The petitioner is the accused in Crime No.470/2024 of the Tanur Police Station, Malappuram District, registered against him for allegedly committing the offences punishable under Sections 420 and 406 of the Indian Penal Code .

3. When the bail application came up for consideration on 02.07.2024, this Court passed an interim order, by directing the petitioner to surrender before the Investigating Officer within one week from the date of order and subject himself to interrogation.

4. Heard; Sri.Sachin.P.K, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, Smt. Seetha.S, the learned Senior Public Prosecutor and Sri.Sreedev, the learned counsel appearing for the defacto complainant.

5. The learned Public Prosecutor, on instructions, submitted that, pursuant to the order dated 02.07.2024 passed by this Court, the petitioner appeared before the Investigating Officer on 08.07.2024 and his interrogation has been completed. Hence, the interim order can be made absolute, subject to additional conditions. The said submission is recorded.

In the result, the bail application is allowed by making the interim order dated 02.07.2024 absolute, subject to the following conditions:

(i) The petitioner shall co-operate with the Investigating Officer and make himself available for interrogation as and when directed by the Investigating Officer;

(ii)The petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or procure 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 or tamper with the evidence in any manner, whatsoever;

(iii) The petitioner shall not commit any offence while he is on bail;

(iv) The petitioner shall surrender his passport, if any, before the court below within ten days from today. If he has no passport, he shall file an affidavit to the effect before the court below 10 days from today;

(v) The petitioner shall not leave India without the permission of the jurisdictional Court;

(vi) In case of violation of any of the conditions above, the jurisdictional Court shall be empowered to consider the application for cancellation of bail, if any filed, and pass orders on the same, in accordance with law.

(vii) Applications for deletion/modification of the bail conditions shall also be filed before the court below.

(viii) Needless to mention, it would be well within the powers of the Investigating Officer to investigate the matter and, if necessary, to effect recoveries on the information, if any, given by the petitioner even while the petitioner is on bail as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Sushila Aggarwal v. State (NCT of Delhi)

and another [2020 (1) KHC 663] .

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