Saravanan v. The State Rep By Its,

A.A.NAKKIRAN , J.

The petitioner, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 29.11.2019, pursuant to a non bailable warrant issued in S.C.No.195 of 2015 pending on the file of the learned V Additional Sessions Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai, on 06.03.2016, in connection with Crime No.505 of 2015, seeks bail.

2. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that this is the seventh bail application of the petitioner and the earlier bail applications of the petitioner were dismissed by this Court. He further submitted that since the petitioner was arrested in connection with Crime No.1210 of 2016, he was unable to appear before the Court on 06.03.2016, thereby, the trial Court had issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest against him and pursuant to which, he was remanded to judicial custody through PT warrant on 29.11.2019. He also submitted that this Court, while dismissing the earlier application for bail filed by the petitioner in Crl.O.P.No.1916 of 2023, had directed the trial Court to

complete the trial and dispose the case within a period of four months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. However, there is no progress in the trial and the petitioner is still in custody from 29.11.2019. Therefore, he prays for grant of bail to the petitioner.

3. Learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent submitted that since the petitioner did not appear before this Court on 06.03.2016, the trial Court has issued a non-bailable warrant against him and pursuant to which, he was remanded to judicial custody through PT warrant on 29.11.2019. He further submitted that the case is now at the fag end of trial, therefore, if bail is granted to the petitioner at this stage, there is every possibility for him to abscond and he will not be available for further proceedings. Hence, he vehemently opposed for granting bail to the petitioner.

4. Heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the respondent and perused the materials available on record.

5. In view of the above facts and circumstances of the case and the submissions made by the learned Additional Public Prosecutor, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner.

6. Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition stands dismissed. However, the learned trial Judge is directed to complete the trial and dispose the case as expeditiously as possible, preferably, within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 17.05.2023 ham

A.A.NAKKIRAN , J.

ham 17.05.2023