Muruganandham v. State Represented Through The Forest Range Officer,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 06-02-2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE K. RAJASEKAR CRL OP NO.2851 of 2026

1. Muruganandham

2. S. Balamurugan

3. P. Ananthraj

4. Vivekanandhan ... Petitioners/ Accused Vs The State rep. by, The Forest Range Officer, Mannargudi Forest range office, Mannargudi.

(WLOR-Wildlife Crime Report No.01 of 2025) ... Respondent PRAYER : Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to grant bail to the petitioners/accused in WLOR- Wildlife Crime Report No.01 of 2025 on the file of the respondent police.

For Petitioner(s) :

Mr. U. Karunakaran For Mr. V. Sithannan For Respondent(s) :

Mr. A. Gopinath Government Advocate (Crl. Side) ******* 1/6

ORDER

The petitioners, who were arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 11.12.2025 for the offences punishable under Sections 2, 49C, 32, 39, 44, 49(A-C), 50, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 58(A to Y) of Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 in WLOR- Wildlife Crime Report No.01 of 2025, registered on the file of the respondent police, seek bail.

2.

The case of the prosecution is that on based on a specific information, the respondent police went to the place of occurrence and found that the petitioners along with other accused were in illegal possession of untested substance like ambergris for the purpose of selling the same by illegal means. Hence, this case.

3.

The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners have been falsely implicated in this case and they have not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution; that they are in judicial custody since 11.12.2025; and that the petitioners are ready to abide by any conditions that may be imposed by this Court and sought for bail to the petitioners.

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4.

The learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) appearing for the respondent while opposing the bail to the petitioners reiterated the prosecution case and submitted that there are totally five accused involved in this case and the petitioners herein are arrayed as A2 to A5; that the petitioners have no previous antecedents; and that the investigation of this case is pending.

5.

Considering the submissions made, facts and circumstances of the case, nature of offence, the fact that the petitioners have no previous antecedents and taking note of the period of incarceration undergone by the petitioners herein, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioners with certain conditions.

6.

Accordingly, the petitioners are ordered to be released on bail on their executing a bond for a sum of Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) with two sureties each, for a like sum to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial Magistrate-I, Mannargudi and on further conditions that:

[a] the sureties shall affix their photographs and Left Thumb Impression in the Application for Surety ship [Judicial Form No.46 annexed to 'The Criminal Rules of Practice, 2019']. The learned Magistrate shall obtain a copy of any one 3/6

of the identity proofs to ensure their identity; [b] the petitioners shall report before the respondent police daily at 10:30 a.m., for a period of three weeks and thereafter, as and when required for interrogation;

[c] On breach of any of the aforementioned conditions, the learned Magistrate/Trial Court is entitled to pass appropriate orders against the petitioners in accordance with law as if the aforementioned conditions have been imposed and the petitioners released on bail by the learned Magistrate/Trial Court himself as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in P.K.Shaji vs. State of Kerala [(2005)13 SCC 283];

[d] If the accused thereafter abscond, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 of B.N.S.

06.02.2026 stn Note :

1. Registry is directed to forthwith upload this order in the Official Website of this Court.

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2. All concerned to act on this order being uploaded in Official Website of this Court without insisting on certified hard copies. To be noted, this order when uploaded in the official website of this Court will be watermarked and will also have a QR code.

To

1. The Judicial Magistrate -I, Mannargudi.

2. The Forest Range Officer, Mannargudi Forest range office, Mannargudi.

(WLOR-Wildlife Crime Report No.01 of 2025)

3. The Superintendent, Sub Jail, Nannilam.

4. The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras.

K. RAJASEKAR, J.

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Crl.O.P. No.2851 of 2026 06.02.2026 6/6