Lakshmanan Thangaraj v. The State

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

[ CIRCUIT BENCH AT PORT BLAIR ] *** CRM/5/2026 IA No.CRAN/1/2026 Lakshmanan Thangaraj Vs The State Mr. Pradeep ... for the petitioner Mr. Sumit Kumar Karmakar ... for the State April 23, 2026 [SR] Item No.5 Re: CRAN/1/2026 1.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the conditions of bail imposed in respect of the petitioner in the order dated February 10, 2026, to the effect that the petitioner cannot leave the jurisdiction of the Campbell Bay Police Station without permission of the District & Sessions Judge, Port Blair excepting for the purpose of attending the Court proceedings and to meet the Station House Officer, Police Station Campbell Bay each and every day excepting Sunday, be modified. 2.

It is contended that the petitioner has a driving licence but there is utter lack of job opportunities in that field in Campbell Bay, which is cut off from the rest of the South Andaman District.

3.

Accordingly, learned counsel seeks a modification permitting the petitioner to leave the jurisdiction of the

Campbell Bay Police Station for the purpose of exploring job opportunities.

4.

Learned Public Prosecutor appearing for the State opposes such prayer and submits that due to the security risk involved in the event the petitioner is permitted to go out of Campbell Bay and influence the witnesses who reside in the District of South Andaman, the coordinate Bench consciously imposed such conditions and the same ought not to be diluted.

5.

In any event, the Court finds from the order dated February 10, 2026 that as a rider to the restriction on the petitioner to leave the jurisdiction of the Campbell Bay Police Station, the petitioner was permitted to seek permission of the learned District and Sessions Judge, Port Blair to leave the said jurisdiction.

6.

However, if the condition of reporting everyday to the Station House Officer Campbell Bay Police Station is retained, it may be impossible for the petitioner to leave Campbell Bay to search out job opportunities even if such permission is granted by the District and Sessions Judge. 7.

Hence, the said condition is modified to the limited extent that the petitioner shall report to the Campbell Bay Police Station once a week instead of every day. 8.

In such view of the matter, CRAN/1/2026 is disposed of by modifying the order dated February 10,

2026 to the limited extent that instead of each and every day as mandated by the said order, the petitioner shall report once every week to the Station House Officer, PS Campbell Bay.

9.

It is made clear that the petitioner will also be entitled, in terms of the order dated February 10, 2026 itself, to approach the jurisdictional Court i.e. the Court of the learned District and Sessions Judge, Port Blair to seek permission to leave the jurisdiction of the Campbell Bay Police Station upon sufficient satisfaction of the said Court in that regard.

(Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.)