COMMON JUDGMENT

Hariprasad, J.

This batch of criminal appeals are directed against the orders passed by the learned Judge presiding over the Special Court for trial of NIA Cases, Ernakulam on applications for bail submitted by various accused in R.C.2/2020/NIA/KOC. It is seen that two common orders are passed by the learned Judge of the Special Court. Bail was granted to accused 8, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24 as per order dated 15.10.2020 and to accused 17 and 18 as per order dated 23.10.2020. Both the orders are challenged before this Court by the Union of India represented by the National Investigation Agency, Kochi (“NIA”, in short). 7Th accused, whose bail plea was rejected, has preferred a separate appeal challenging the order dated 15.10.2020. Since identical factual and legal questions arise in all these cases, they are heard together. We dispose them by this common judgment.

2. Heard Shri Surya Prakash V.Raju, learned Additional Solicitor General of India (ASG) and Shri Arjun Ambalapatta, learned prosecutor for NIA and Shri S.Sreekumar, Shri Vipin Narayan, Shri V.T.Raghunath, Shri M.Balagopal, Shri Babu S.Nair, Shri Nireesh Mathew, Shri E.Ahamed Fazil and Shri