CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 28/07/2026 PRESENT The HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K. RAJASEKAR CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 R Velmurugan, No 3/192 Bajanai Kovil Street, Kovalam, Chengalpattu District.. ... Petitioner/Accused No.3 Vs State of Tamilnadu Rep by, The Inspector of Police, Ponnamaravathi Police Station, Pudukottai District. Crime No.9 of 2024. ... Respondent/Complainant For Petitioner : Mr.Sasikumar.R, Advocate. For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar, Counsel for State of TN (Crl.Side) PETITION FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL Under Sec.482 of BNSS PRAYER :-To enlarge the petitioner on anticipatory bail in the even of his arrest in connection with the case in P.R.C.No.1 of 2025 pending on 1/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 the file of the District Munsif Cum Judicial Magistrate, Ponnamaravathi, Pudukkottai District. ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner/Accused No.3, who apprehends arrest at the hands of the respondent police for the offences under Sections 302, 201, 120B, 341 and 34 of IPC, in P.R.C.No.1 of 2025 pending on the file of the District Munsif Cum Judicial Magistrate, Ponnamaravathi, Pudukkottai District in connection with Crime No.9 of 2024, on the file of the respondent Police, seeks anticipatory bail. 2.The allegation against the petitioner is that he is arrayed as A3 in this case. It is alleged that A1 and A2 committed the murder of the deceased and informed the petitioner to assist them to dispose of the body. Accordingly, the petitioner joined hands with them and was involved in burying the body. Thereafter, A1 and A2 were arrested and they gave confession statements. Based on their confession statements, the petitioner was implicated in this case. After the investigation, the final report was filed and the same was taken on file in P.R.C.No.3 of 2/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 2024 by the learned District-cum-Judicial Magistrate, Ponnamaravathi, in which, the petitioner was shown as an absconding accused. Though the other two accused appeared before the Court below, due to the long period of abscondence of the petitioner, the Court below split up the case against the petitioner from the main case and assigned a new number in P.R.C. No.1 of 2025. The Court below also issued a Non Bailable warrant (NBW) against the petitioner on 31.01.2025. 3.The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner has been shown as an absconding accused in this case. He is ready to cooperate with the trial proceedings. Since the final report has already been filed, the custodial interrogation of the petitioner is not necessary. The specific overt act attributed aginst the petitioner is only that he assisted the accused after the commission of the murder by helping them to screen the offence. Hence, he prayed to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. 4.The learned Counsel for State of TN (Crl. Side) appearing for the respondent Police reiterated the prosecution case and submitted that since the NBW is pending against the petitioner from 31.01.2025, the 3/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 trial proceedings have not progressed. Hence, he opposed to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner. 5.This Court heard both sides and perused the materials available on record including the final report. 6.Considering the nature of allegation and other aspects of the matter and the custodial interrogation of the petitioner at this point of time is not necessary and also overt act attributed aginst the petitioner, 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, within a period of fifteen days from the date on which the order copy made ready, before the learned District Munsif Cum Judicial Magistrate, Ponnamaravathi, Pudukkottai 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 4/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 conditions that: [b] the petitioner shall report before the learned District Munsif Cum Judicial Magistrate, Ponnamaravathi, Pudukkottai District, on all working days at 10.30 a.m., for a period of three weeks. [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 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 5/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 be registered under Section 269 B.N.S. (K R S J) 28.07.2026 vsg TO 1.The learned District Munsif Cum Judicial Magistrate, Ponnamaravathi, Pudukkottai District. 2.The Inspector of Police, Ponnamaravathi Police Station, Pudukottai District. 3. The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 6/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis CRL OP(MD). No.15546 of 2026 K. RAJASEKAR,J., vsg ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.15546 of 2026 Date : 28/07/2026 7/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis