(1.) PETITIONER who is the accused in CR. No.34/1999 of Thiruppuram Excise Range for offences punishable under secs.8(1) and 55(a) of the Abkari Act, seeks anticipatory bail.
(2.) CONSEQUENT on the non-appearance of the petitioner in C.P.No.111/2001 on the file of the J.F.C.M.-II, Neyyattinkara, the case against him has been transferred to the long pending register and numbered as L.P.C.No.30/2003. Admittedly, non-bailable warrants of arrest are pending against the petitioner. Anticipatory bail cannot be granted in a case like this so as to nullify the process issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. There is no reason why the petitioner should not surrender before the trial court and seek regular bail. Accordingly, if the petitioner surrenders before the magistrate and files an application for regular bail within two weeks from today, the same shall be considered and disposed of on merits preferably on the same day on which it is filed, notwithstanding the warrants, if any, pending against the petitioner. With the above observation this application is disposed of.