Pre-arrest bail granted due to insufficient evidence connecting the applicant to the alleged crime, with conditions attached to ensure cooperation with the investigation.

ORDER

This application is filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, BNSS ), seeking pre-

arrest bail.

2. The applicant is the accused No.8 in Crime No.1122/2025 of Kunnikode Police Station, Kollam District. The offences alleged are punishable under Sections 189 (2), 190, 191(2), 296(b), 115(2) and 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 .

3. The prosecution case, in short, is that in connection with the dispute arising out of the delayed registration for the uriyadi competition organized as part of Onam celebrations of Kundarapadi Navodya Club, the defacto complainant intervened and refunded the registration fee of the applicant and directed that only the 42 persons who had registered earlier will be permitted to participate in the competition. Due to the enmity, on 6.9.2025, at 8 pm, the accused No.1 abused the defacto complainant, pushed him down and while he had fallen down on the ground, the accused Nos. 2 to 5, along with two other identifiable accused kicked him on the left rib area causing the defacto complainant difficulty in breathing. Thus, the accused persons acting in concert, committed the aforesaid offences.

4. I have heard Sri. R. Krishnakumar, the learned counsel for the applicant and Sri. M.C. Ashi, 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 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. I went through the FIS. Five persons have been named in the FIS. It is further stated that there are two more persons also. The applicant is the accused No.8. No overt act has been alleged against him. The applicant has no criminal antecedents. 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/-