HARIPRASAD R S Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner who is the accused in Crime No.474/2006 of Pooyapally Police Station for offences punishable under secs. 63 and 68(A) of the Copy Right Act, 1957, seeks anticipatory bail.

(2.) The learned Public Prosecutor opposed the application submitting inter alia that this is an offence which is eating into the economy of the nation and cine producers are vitally affected by such piracy committed rampantly and with impunity and that film industry itself is at the verge of collapse on account of such copy right violations.

(3.) Having regard to the nature of the allegations levelled against the petitioner and the other circumstances of the case, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. Accordingly, a direction is issued to the officer-in-charge of the police station concerned to release the petitioner on bail for a period of one month in the event of his arrest in connection with the above case on each of them executing a bond for Rs. 10,000/- (Ten thousand only) with two solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the said officer and subject to the following conditions:- 1. Petitioner shall report before the Investigating Officer between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on all Wednesdays. 2. Petitioner shall make himself available for interrogation as and when required by the Investigating Officer. 3. Petitioner shall not influence or intimidate the prosecution witnesses nor shall he attempt to tamper with the evidence for the prosecution. 4.Petitioner shall not commit any offence while on bail. 5. Petitioner shall surrender before the Magistrate concerned and seek regular bail in the meanwhile. If the petitioner commits breach of any of the above conditions, the bail granted to him shall be liable to be cancelled. This application is allowed as above.