LIJIN JOHN Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner herein has been arrayed as the 2 nd accused in the instant Crime No.2183/2019 of Cherthala Police Station, which has been registered for offences punishable under Sections 354 and 506 of IPC and Sections 7, 8, 11(i), (iv) and 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The petitioner has been arrested on 5.8.2019 and has been under judicial custody since then.

(2.) The prosecution case in short is that there are five accused persons involved in this crime and that the petitioner (A2) was driving the car in which the other accused persons were travelling and that when they had seen the minor victim girl aged 17 years and her friends on the wayside, they had stopped the car and started even soliciting them for sexual activity and the minor victim girl had then contacted her parents by using her mobile phone and thereupon the petitioner(A2) had caught hold on the hand of the minor victim girl etc.

(3.) The learned Public Prosecutor has opposed the plea for regular bail and has pointed out that there is likelihood of the petitioner and other accused persons intimidating and influencing the witnesses including the minor victim girl, if he is let off on bail.