ALONA SILKS Vs. ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Standing Counsel for the first respondent.

(2.) The petitioners are the accused in S.T. No.452 of 2016, pending on the files of the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Ponnani. The offence alleged against the petitioners are under Sections 14(2) and 14A of the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 read with paragraph 42 of the Employees Pension Scheme, 1995. The trial of the case was posted to 25.4.2019 for recording 313 statement of the accused. It is submitted that even though the accused were present on the previous posting dates, the case was not taken up due to various reasons and on 25.4.2019, the accused could not be present and an application to condone their absence was filed. The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the application to condone the absence of the accused was rejected and a non bailable warrant was issued against accused Nos.2 and 3.

(3.) The limited prayer in this Crl. M.C. is for consideration of the bail application to be moved by the accused, on the date of their surrender itself.