LAILA BHAGAVAL SINGH Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner is the third accused in Crime No.586/2022 of the Kadavanthara Police Station, Ernakulam alleging offences punishable under Sec. 120B, 364, 302 and 201 r/w sec. 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. She has filed this application for regular bail under sec. 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short 'the Cr.P.C.').

(2.) A complaint filed on 27/9/2022 about a missing woman was being investigated by the police. Soon, it revealed a ghastly crime committed allegedly by three persons. The victim, in this case, is a 52 year old lady by the name of Padma.

(3.) According to the prosecution, the first accused abducted the deceased Padma, pursuant to a conspiracy with the second and third accused to commit human sacrifice. The second and third accused are husband and wife. They were eager to gain financial prosperity and were convinced by the first accused that, human sacrifice was the mode to attain their prosperity. It is further alleged that, after abducting the deceased Padma from Ernakulam, the first accused took her to the house of the second and third accused where she was subjected to severe torture. After rendering the victim unconscious by strangulating her with a plastic rope, the third accused removed the clothes of the deceased and the first accused inserted a sharp knife into her vagina, as part of the sacrifice, while the victim was alive. Wounds were inflicted on the victim's stomach, and breasts and she was finally murdered by slitting her throat. Thereafter, her body was cut into 56 pieces and buried inside their house compound. The prosecution also alleges that a pit was dug as part of the pre-arranged plan and after destroying the other evidence, the first accused pledged the gold ornaments of the deceased in a financial institution at Ernakulam and thus the accused together committed the offences.