IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
Bail Appl No. 4946 of 2007()
1. MANSE KUMAR RAI, S/O. ASERBHI RAJ,
... Petitioner
Vs
1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED
... Respondent
For Petitioner :SRI.SOJAN MICHEAL
For Respondent :PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
The Hon'ble MR. Justice R.BASANT
Dated :14/08/2007
O R D E R
R.BASANT, J.
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B.A.No.4946 of 2007
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Dated this the 14th day of August 2007
O R D E R
Application for regular bail. The petitioner is the sole
accused shown in the F.I.R. The crux of the allegations is that
certain blank forms were stolen from the motor vehicles
authorities in West Bengal. On coming to know the theft, they
intimated all check posts in the country about the possibility of
misuse of such blank stolen forms. The check posts in the State
were also alerted. While so, a vehicle driven by the petitioner
herein came to the check post at Parassala with 5 Santro cars in
the container. Verification of the documents led the authorities
to the conclusion that the blank forms stolen were being
misutilised for transport of those cars. The petitioner was
detained. He was interrogated. He was arrested and continues
in custody from 2/8/2007.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
the petitioner is absolutely innocent. He has nothing to do with
the theft or the alleged forgeries. He has been discharging his
duties only as a driver. He had no inkling that the forms handed
over to him were stolen or misutilised by anyone. In these
circumstances, the petitioner may be enlarged on bail by now,
B.A.No.4946/07 2
submits the learned counsel for the petitioner. The learned
Public Prosecutor opposes the application. The learned Public
Prosecutor submits that in a serious crime like this, the
investigating officer may be given reasonable further time to
further proceed on the clues provided by the arrested accused
on interrogation. The information furnished by him will have to
be cross-checked. The investigators had hardly received about
ten days time to complete the investigation. Investigating
officers must be given further time to work the clues provided by
the petitioner to complete the investigation. I am certainly not
satisfied that the petitioner deserves to be enlarged on bail at
this early stage of investigation.
3. In the result, this petition is dismissed. However, I
may hasten to observe that the petitioners shall be at liberty to
move this court or the courts below for bail again at later stages
of the investigation not, at any rate, prior to 25/08/2007. The
investigating officer shall, in the meantime, make every
endeavour to complete the investigation.
(R.BASANT, JUDGE)
jsr
// True Copy// PA to Judge
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B.A.No.4946/07 4
R.BASANT, J.
CRL.M.CNo.
ORDER
21ST DAY OF MAY2007