SUBEESH P. U. Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an application for regular bail.

(2.) The petitioner is the 7th accused in Crime No.121/2023 of Info Park Police Station, Ernakulam. The offences alleged against the accused are under Ss. 143, 147, 148, 341, 342, 323, 324, 364A, 307, read with Sec. 149 of the Indian Penal Code.

(3.) The prosecution case is that, on 24/1/2023 at 7 p.m., the 3rd accused, who is the friend of the husband of the defacto complainant, tactfully took the defacto complainant and her husband in a vehicle to a place near Info Park, Kakkanad. While they were travelling, four other persons came in another car and obstructed the vehicle in which the defacto complainant and her husband were travelling. Later, the persons who arrived in the car, along with the 3rd accused, forcibly took the husband of the defacto complainant in their vehicle and demanded ransom. It is also alleged that, while in the custody of the accused, the husband of the defacto complainant was assaulted as well. The complaint was registered based on the information furnished by the defacto complainant. At the time of registration of the F.I.R., the petitioner was not one of the accused. Later, during the course of the investigation, the petitioner was implicated. The role assigned to the petitioner in the commission of the crime is that, while accused Nos.1 to 5 have taken the victim in their car, the directions to reach the destination were given by accused Nos.6 and 7. The petitioner was arrested in connection with the said investigation on 26/1/2023. Since then, the petitioner has been under judicial detention.