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 fifth accused in O.R No.12/2023 of the Kulathupuzha Forest Station, Kollam, registered against the accused (nine in number) for allegedly committing the offences punishable under Sections 2(11),2(16), 2(36), 2(37), 9, 39, 48A, 50, 51 and 57 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act,1972 (in short, ‘Act’).

3. The crux of the prosecution case is that: on 3.12.2023, the officials of the Ezhamkulam Forest Station received information that the first accused was in possession of the meat of Bengal Monitor, an animal included in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act. During the interrogation of the first BAIL APPL. NO. 235 2022 accused, he confessed that the other accused including the petitioner are also involved in the above crime.

Thus, the accused have committed the above offences.

4. Heard; Sri.Nirmal V.Nair, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Sri, Nagaraj Narayanan, the learned Special Public Prosecutor.

5. Sri.Nirmal V.Nair strenuously argued that th