Pre-arrest bail granted upon finding unnecessary custodial interrogation, balancing the rights of accused and investigation needs.

ORDER

This application is filed underSection 482of theBharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, BNSS ), seeking pre- arrest bail.

2. The applicant is the accused No.1 in Crime No.1725/2025 of Kottiyam Police Station, Kollam District. The offences alleged are punishable under Sections 126(2), 296(b), 115(2), 118(1) and 110 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita ( BNS ), 2023.

3. The prosecution case, in short, is that on 13.10.2025 at about 7:30 p.m., the applicant, in concert with the co-accused, wrongfully restrained the complainant, subjected him to verbal abuse, and the applicant assaulted him with fists, thereby causing him to fall. It is further alleged that the accused No.2 thereafter assaulted and inflicted a stab injury on the complainant’s thigh with a knife allegedly handed over by the accused No.3 and thereby committed the offences.

4. I have heard Sri.Kiran Lal M., the learned counsel for the applicant and Smt.Sreeja V., the learned Senior Public Prosecutor. Perused the case diary.

5. The learned counsel for the applicant submitted that the applicant is innocent and has been falsely implicated in the above crime. The counsel further submitted that no materials are on record to connect the applicant with the alleged crime; hence, he is entitled to bail. The learned Senior Public Prosecutor, on the other hand, submitted that the alleged incident occurred as part of the applicant's intentional criminal acts, and if he is released on bail at this stage, it will affect the course of the investigation.

6. Annexure-2 would show that in respect of the very same incident, a counter case has been registered against the defacto complainant at the instance of the applicant. Annexure-3 wound certificate would show that the applicant has also sustained injury. Thus, in the very same incident, the applicant as well as the defacto complainant have sustained injury. Considering the allegations made against the applicant, his custodial interrogation seems unnecessary. For these reasons, I find this to be an appropriate case to grant pre-arrest bail to the applicant.

In the result, the application is allowed on the following conditions:-

(i) The applicant shall be released on bail in the event of his arrest on executing a bond for Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One lakh only) with two solvent sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the arresting officer/investigating officer, as the case may be.

(ii) The applicant shall fully cooperate with the investigation, including subjecting himself to the deemed police custody for discovery, if any, as and when demanded.

(iii) The applicant shall appear before the investigating officer between 10.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. every Saturday until further orders. He shall also appear before the investigating officer as and when required.

(iv) The applicant shall not commit any offence of a like nature while on bail.

(v) The applicant shall not attempt to contact any of the prosecution witnesses, directly or through any other person, or in any other way try to tamper with the evidence or influence any witnesses or other persons related to the investigation. (vi) The applicant shall not leave the State of Kerala without the permission of the trial Court.

(vii) The application, if any, for deletion/modification of bail conditions or cancellation of bail on the grounds of violating the bail conditions shall be filed at the jurisdictional court.

Sd/-