Court directs expeditious bail consideration recognizing political rivalry over caste atrocity in SC/ST case.

O R D E R

The petitioners are accused in Crime No.114 of 2026, on the file of the second respondent Police. The said case was registered for the alleged offence punishable under Sections 191(2), 296(b), 115(2), 351(2) of BNS and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of SC/ST (POA) Act, 1989. Therefore, the petitioners have filed this petition seeking a direction to the Special Court concerned to dispose of their bail applications on the date of their surrender.

2.The case of the prosecution is that on 31.03.2026, when the defacto complainant was engaging in an election campaign in support of the ruling party/DMK, all the petitioners, who are belonging to AIADMK Alliance party had indulged in a wordy quarrel and created a scuffle. During the quarrel, the petitioners have abused the defacto complainant by using his caste name, assaulted him and also caused injuries.

3.The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submits that the petitioners have not created any problem as projected by the respondent police. They are law abiding citizens and hailing from respectable family. They are also ready and willing to produce substantial sureties.

4.Mr.R.Meenakshi Sundaram, learned Additional Public Prosecutor takes notice for the respondents 1 & 2 and submits that there was a dispute between two groups during the political campaign.

5.Considering the submissions of the learned Additional Public Prosecutor that the dispute between the petitioners and the defacto complainant is out of political campaign, this Court is inclined to grant relief to the petitioners.

6.Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition is allowed.

The petitioners are directed to surrender before the learned Judge, Special Court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act / I Additional District and Sessions Judge at Trichy, within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and the learned Judge of the Special Court is directed to entertain the bail application, if any filed by the petitioners on the same day. In the meantime, the petitioners shall serve a copy of the bail petition well in advance to the defacto complainant along with the proposed date of their surrender, enabling the complainant to submit his arguments, if any. The Public Prosecutor concerned is expected to be available in the Court and the Public Prosecutor can very well get instructions with the available scientific modes. The bail application in any event shall be disposed on merits on the same day.