Settu @ Vasudevan v. State Represent By, The Inspector Of Police,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 21.05.2025

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE N.SENTHILKUMAR 1.Settu @ Vasudevan 2.Viji @ Vijaya 3.Bakthavachalam 4.Latha @ Ganga 5.Thilagam ... Petitioners -vsThe State Represented by, The Inspector of Police, Cuddalore All Women Police Station, Cuddalore District.

(Crime No.24 of 2025) ... Respondent PRAYER: Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, pleased to enlarge the petitioners on bail in the event of their arrest by the respondent police concerned in Crime No.24 of 2025 on the file of AWPS Cuddalore Police Station, Cuddalore District. For Petitioners :

Mr.S.Siva Kumar For Respondent :

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

ORDER

The petitioners, who apprehends arrest at the hands of the respondent police for the alleged offences under Sections 498(A), 296(b) of IPC and 82(1), 351(2) of BNS, 2023 r/w 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act,, in Crime No.24 of 2025, seeks anticipatory bail.

2. The case of the prosecution is that the defacto complainant who had given complaint against the petitioners, who had demanded dowry of Rupees 5 lakhs. After that the petitioners had demanded dowry using filthy language and went to the extent of assaulting her and based on the said complaint, the respondent registered a case against the petitioners.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners have not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution and they have been falsely implicated in this case. Hence, he prays for grant of anticipatory bail.

4. The learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) appearing for the respondent submitted that there is some dowry harassment by the petitioners. However, he vehemently opposed to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners. 2/6

5. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners with certain conditions.

6. Accordingly, the petitioners are ordered to be released on bail in the event of arrest or on their appearance before the learned Judicial Magistrate No.1 at Cuddalore, on condition that the petitioners shall execute a bond for a sum of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten thousand only) with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the respondent police or the police officer who intends to arrest or to the satisfaction of the learned Magistrate concerned, failing which, the petition for anticipatory bail shall stand dismissed and on further condition that:

(a) if the petitioners fails to surrender before the said Magistrate within a period of fifteen days, this Order shall stand automatically cancelled; (b) the sureties shall affix their photographs and left thumb impression in the Application for Suretyship [Judicial Form No.46 annexed to 'The Criminal Rules of Practice, 2019']. The learned Magistrate shall obtain a copy of their Aadhar card or Bank pass Book to ensure their identity; (c) the 1st and 3rd petitioners shall report before the respondent police daily at 10.30 a.m for a period of three weeks and 2nd, 4th and 5th petitioners shall report before the respondent police as and when required; 3/6

(d) the petitioners shall not directly or indirectly cause any threat to the defacto complainant and witnesses and shall not tamper with evidence or witness either during investigation or trial;

(e) the petitioners shall make himself available for interrogation by a Police office as and when required;

(f) the petitioners to give an undertaking that if required for being identified by witnesses during investigation or for Police custody beyond the first fifteen days, he shall comply to the directions as may be given by the Court in this regard;

(g) the petitioners shall not abscond either during investigation or trial; (h) On breach of any of the aforesaid conditions, the learned Magistrate/Trial Court is entitled to take appropriate action against the petitioners in accordance with law as if the 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)AIR SCW 5560]; (i) If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 B.N.S.2023.

21.05.2025 rna 4/6

"Note:

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

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 learned Judicial Magistrate No.1 at Cuddalore.

2.The Inspector of Police, Cuddalore All Women Police Station, Cuddalore District.

3.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

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N.SENTHILKUMAR,J rna 21.05.2025 6/6