Judge summons judge to explain bail order

CHENNAI: Madras high court on Thursday summoned the principal sessions judge of Kallakurichi to explain the grant of anticipatory bail to an accused in an attempt to murder case .

Justice P Velmurugan passed the order after HC was informed that the sessions court had granted bail to the accused even before the victim was discharged from hospital, where she was undergoing treatment for injuries suffered during the alleged attack.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by S Lakshmi Bala , a resident of Villupuram. She lodged a complaint at the Sankarapuram police station claiming Arivazhagi, the president of S Sellampattu panchayat, along with her husband and others, unlawfully entered her house with the intention of grabbing her land and assaulted her and her son. Since no action was taken on the complaint, Lakshmi moved HC seeking a transfer of the probe to a different agency.

When the case came up for hearing in HC, the petitioner's advocate pointed out the prosecutor had previously stated the complainant, who was injured in the assault, was discharged from hospital on July 3. Based on this information, the Kallakurichi principal sessions court granted anticipatory bail to the accused. However, the complainant submitted that she was discharged from hospital only on July 9.

The director of prosecution submitted before HC that the prosecution had informed the sessions court that the victim was discharged from hospital on July 3 based on information provided by the investigating officer, a point reiterated by the government prosecutor. Recording the submissions, Justice Velmurugan directed Irusan Poonguzhali, principal sessions judge of Kallakurichi, to appear before HC on July 28 along with relevant documents and provide an explanation about the grant of anticipatory bail to the accused.