CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated : 13/07/2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K. RAJASEKAR CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 Krishnan Vaishnav @ Krishnak, ... Petitioner/Accused No.2 Vs State of Tamilnadu Rep by, The Inspector of Police, Avaniyapuram Police Station, Madurai District. Crime No. 259 of 2026. ... Respondent/Complainant PRAYER :- For Anticipatory Bail in Crime No. 259/2026 on the file of the respondent Police. For Petitioner : Rengaraju P., Advocate. For Respondent : Mr.N.Balasubramanian, Counsel For State of TN (Crl.Side) ORDER The petitioner apprehends arrest for the alleged offence under 1/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 Sections 24(1) of COTPA (The Cigarettes and Tobacco Products Act, 2003) and Section 123 of BNS Act, 2023, in Crime No.259 of 2026, on the file of the respondent police seeks anticipatory bail. 2. The allegation against the petitioner is that the petitioner joined hands with the other accused involved in the illegal transportation of 202 kg of tobacco products and based on prior information, the vehicle transporting tobacco products was intercepted and the contraband was seized. Hence, the case has been registered. 3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is innocent and he has not committed any such offence as alleged by the prosecution and he has been falsely implicated in this case. He further submitted that the arrested accused was already released on bail. Similarly, two other accused who were also alleged to have been involved in the very same offence have been granted anticipatory bail by this Court in Crl.OP(MD)Nos.11077 & 11606 of 2026 on 15.06.2026 & 19.06.2026 and no previous case is pending against the petitioner. Hence, he prayed to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. 2/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 4. The learned Counsel For State of TN (Crl.Side) appearing for the respondent police, reiterated the prosecution case, and on instructions, reported that huge quantity of contraband has been recovered and the investigation is at preliminary stage. He would further submitted that some of the co-accused (A3 & A4) were released on anticipatory bail by this Court. However, he opposed to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. 5. I have gone through the FIR and also the connected materials. 6.Considering the nature of allegations against the petitioner, and also considering the fact that the similarly placed co-accused were already granted anticipatory bail by this Court and no previous cases reported, I am inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to certain conditions. [a] Accordingly, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail in the event of arrest or on his appearance, 3/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 within a period of fifteen days from the date on which the order copy made ready, before the learned Judicial Magistrate No.VI, Madurai District, on condition that the petitioner shall execute a bond for a sum of Rs.15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Thousand only) with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial Magistrate concerned and on further conditions that: [b] the petitioner shall report before the respondent police, daily at 10.30 a.m. for a period of two weeks, and thereafter as and when required for the interrogation. [c] the petitioner shall not commit any offences of similar nature. [d] the petitioner shall not abscond either during investigation or trial. [e] the petitioner shall not tamper with evidence or witness either during investigation or trial. [f] On breach of any of the aforesaid conditions, the learned Judicial Magistrate/Trial Court is entitled to take appropriate action against the petitioner in accordance with 4/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 law as if the conditions have been imposed and the petitioner released on bail by the learned Magistrate/Trial Court himself as laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in P.K.Shaji vs. State of Kerala [(2005)AIR SCW 5560]. [g] If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 B.N.S. 13.07.2026 dss To 1.The Judicial Magistrate No.VI, Madurai District. 2.The Inspector of Police, Avaniyapuram Police Station, Madurai District. 3.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 5/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.14088 of 2026 K. RAJASEKAR,J DSS ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.14088 of 2026 Date : 13/07/2026 6/6 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis