Kuppulakshmi v. The State Rep.By,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 12-03-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN

1. Kuppulakshmi

2. Saranyadevi

3. Sankar Prakash ..Petitioner(s) Vs The State Rep.by, The Inspector of Police, District Crime Branch, Erode District.

Crime No.Not Known of 2026 ..Respondent(s) Prayer: Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, Act, 2023, to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners in the event of their arrest or on their appearance before any Court in connection with the case in Crime No.Not Known of 2026 pending investigation on the file of the respondent police herein.

For Petitioner(s):

Mr.Guruprasad Manoharan For Respondent(s):

Mr.P.Dhileepan, Government Advocate (Crl.Side)

ORDER

The petitioners, apprehend arrest for the alleged offences under Sections 318(4) and 61(2) of BNS in Crime No.Not known of 2026 on the file of the respondent police, seek anticipatory bail.

2. When the matter is taken up for hearing, learned Government Advocate (Crl.Side) submits that the petition submitted by the de facto complainant before the Superintendent of Police is forwarded to the jurisdictional police and they are now investigating the case.

3. In such circumstances, this Court is of the firm view that the respondent Police may be directed to follow the procedure as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Satender Kumar Antil v. Central Bureau Of Investigation reported in (2026 INSC 115) and 2025 SCC OnLine SC 1578 and the Investigating Officer has to conduct the enquiry by strictly following the procedures therein and if any prima facie case is made out against the petitioner, register the F.I.R or close the petition enquiry within a period of two weeks from today. The parties are directed to cooperate with the enquiry. It is needless to say that the respondent police shall not take any coercive steps to secure the accused till the completion of enquiry, on the complaint lodged by the de facto complainant.

4. With the above directions, this criminal original petition is disposed of. 12-03-2026 rap

To

1. The Judicial Magistrate No.II, Erode.

2. The Inspector of Police, District Crime Branch, Erode District.

3. The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

C.KUMARAPPAN, J.

rap 12-03-2026