Manimekalai v. The State Of Tamil Nadu Rep. By

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 01.04.2026

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA 1.

Manimekalai Jayasuriya Pragalathan K G.Balamurugan 5.

B.Sunith 6.

Thamizharasi 7.

V.Thillaigovindan 8.

R.Periyathambi 9.

Indira @ Indiragandhi 10.

Jayanthi 11.

S.Dhanalakshmi 12.

Selvi ... Petitioners Vs.

1.

The State of Tamil Nadu represented by, The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Virudhachalam, Cuddalore District.

The State represented by, The Inspector of Police, Kammapuram Police Station, Cuddalore District. (Crime No.27 of 2026) Mahalashmi ... Respondents 1/5

PRAYER: Criminal Original Petition is filed under Section 528 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita/Section 482 Cr.P.C, to direct the learned District and Sessions Judge, Special Court for trial of cases under SC/ST (PoA) Act, Cuddalore, to consider the petitioners' bail application on the same day of their surrender in connection with the Crime No.27 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police.

For Petitioners : Mr.K.M.Subrahmaniam For R1 & R2 : Mr.Leonard Arul Joseph Selvam Additional Public Prosecutor

O R D E R

The present Criminal Original Petition has been filed seeking a direction to the learned District and Sessions Judge, Special Court for trial of cases under SC/ST (PoA) Act, Cuddalore District, to accept the surrender of the petitioners and consequently, consider their bail petition(s) on the same day, on merits, in connection with Crime No.27 of 2026 on the file of the second respondent police.

Learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for respondents 1 and 2 submitted that the petitioners/accused had abetted the victim to commit suicide and in this regard, the aforesaid case in Crime No.27 of 2026 came to be registered for the offences under Sections 296(b), 115(2), 351(2), 108 of BNS and Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the 2/5

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. He further submitted that the third petitioner herein has already been arrested.

Recording the submission made by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, this Criminal Original Petition in respect of the third petitioner is closed.

In respect of the other petitioners, considering the specific bar under Section 18 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and also taking into consideration the possibility of misusing the pious intention of the Parliament against innocent persons, there shall be a direction to the jurisdictional Court, to consider the bail application(s) of petitioners 1, 2 & 4 to 12 preferably on the same day of their surrender, in connection with Crime No.27 of 2026 on the file of the second respondent police and to pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, after affording due opportunity to the victims under Section 15-A of the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989. Petitioners 1, 2 & 4 to 12 shall surrender before the jurisdictional Court within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

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5.

Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition stands allowed in respect of petitioners 1, 2 & 4 to 12.

01.04.2026 ham To 1.

The District and Sessions Judge, Special Court for trial of cases under SC/ST (PoA) Act , Cuddalore District.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Virudhachalam, Cuddalore District.

The Inspector of Police, Kammapuram Police Station, Cuddalore District The Public Prosecutor, High Court of Madras.

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A.D.JAGADISH CHANDIRA , J.

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