Kerala High Court
Latheef vs State Of Kerala on 7 May, 2021
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN
FRIDAY, THE 07TH DAY OF MAY 2021 / 17TH VAISAKHA, 1943
Bail Appl..No.3538 OF 2021
CRIME NO.12/2020 OF Mupliyam Forest Station , Thrissur
PETITIONER/ACCUSED:
LATHEEF
AGED 44 YEARS
ACHIPRA HOUSE, PALLIKKUNNU DESOM,
KUMARAMPUTHUR, MANNARKKAD TALUK,
PALAKKAD DISTRICT.
678583
BY ADVS.
SHRI.PRABHU K.N.
SHRI.MANUMON A.
SRI.JAYAN KUTTICHAKKU
RESPONDENT/COMPLAINANT:
STATE OF KERALA
REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF
KERALA
682031
R1 BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
OTHER PRESENT:
P.P.SMT.M.K.PUSHPALATHA
THIS BAIL APPLICATION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON
07.05.2021, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:
B.A.No. 3538/2021 2
P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN, J
--------------------------------
B.A.No.3538 of 2021
-------------------------------
Dated this the 7th day of May, 2021
ORDER
This Bail Application filed under Section 439 of Criminal
Procedure Code was heard through Video Conference.
2. Petitioner is the accused in Crime No.12/2020 of Mupliyam
Forest Station. The above case is registered against the petitioner
alleging offences punishable under Sections 27(I) (e) (iv), (iii) and 47
G of the Kerala Forest Act.
3. The prosecution case is that the petitioner along with
other accused trespassed into the Kodassery notified Reserve Forest
and cut and removed sandal trees.
4. Heard the counsel for the petitioner and the counsel for
the Public Prosecutor. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that
the petitioner was arrested on 18.3.2021 and he is in custody from
that date onwards. The counsel submitted that the petitioner is ready
to abide any conditions if this Court grant him bail.
The counsel submitted that the allegation against the petitioner are
not correct. The Public Prosecutor opposed the bail application and
submitted that the petitioner is involved in other similar offences.
5. The prosecution case is that the petitioner cut and
removed sandal trees from Kodassery notified reserve forests.
According to the prosecution, the petitioner and other accused
removed about 270 sandal trees causing a loss of Rs. 8,83,000/- to the
State Exchequer. Four cases are registered against the petitioner for
these acts. I don't want to make any observation on the merit of the
case. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and also
considering the period of detention, I think this bail application can
be allowed on stringent conditions.
6. Moreover, the 2nd wave of COVID-19 is spreading in the
country and the citizens are facing serious difficulties. In the state of
Kerala, the 2nd wave of the pandemic is creating lot of problems and
even the day-to-day life of the citizens are affected. Everyday, about
25,000 people are tested positive with COVID-19. In such
circumstances, this Court has to consider this fact also while
considering bail applications. The life is more important than
anything. Therefore, I am considering this bail application based on
the above pandemic situation.
7. Moreover, considering the need to follow social distancing
norms inside prisons so as to avert the spread of the novel Corona
Virus Pandemic, the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Re: Contagion of
COVID-19 Virus In Prisons case (Suo Motu Writ Petition(C)
No.1 of 2020) and a Full Bench of this Court in W.P(C)No.9400 of
2020 issued various salutary directions for minimizing the number of
inmates inside prisons. These happened during the 1 st wave of
COVID-19 season.
8. Moreover, it is a well accepted principle that the bail is the
rule and the jail is the exception. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in
Chidambaram. P v Directorate of Enforcement (2019 (16)
SCALE 870), after considering all the earlier judgments, observed
that, the basic jurisprudence relating to bail remains the same
inasmuch as the grant of bail is the rule and refusal is the exception
so as to ensure that the accused has the opportunity of securing fair
trial.
9. Considering the dictum laid down in the above decision
and considering the facts and circumstances of this case, this Bail
Application is allowed with the following directions:
1. Petitioner shall be released on bail on
executing a bond for Rs.50,000/- (Rupees Fifty
Thousand only) with two solvent sureties each for
the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional
Court.
2. The petitioner shall appear before the
Investigating Officer for interrogation as and
when required. The petitioner shall co-operate
with the investigation and shall not, directly or
indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise
to any person acquainted with the facts of the case
so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to
the Court or to any police officer.
3. Petitioner shall not leave India without
permission of the jurisdictional Court.
4. Petitioner shall not commit any offence
similar to the offence alleged in this case.
5. The petitioner shall strictly abide by the
various guidelines issued by the State Government
and Central Government with respect to keeping of
social distancing in the wake of Covid 19
pandemic.
6. If any of the above conditions are
violated by the petitioner, the jurisdictional Court
can cancel the bail in accordance to law, even
though the bail is granted by this Court.
Sd/-
P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN
JUDGE
al/-+
