Jothilakshmi v. State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by the Deputy Superintendent of Police,

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 31/07/2026 PRESENT The HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K. RAJASEKAR Jothilakshmi, Joint Commissioner Hr and Ce Department, Thanjavur, Residing AtNo. A1, A S B Apartment, Near Don Bosco School Nanjikottai Thanjavur District. ... Petitioner/Accused No.1 Vs State of Tamil Nadu Rep. By, The Deputy Superintendent of Police,, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Thanjavur District.. In Cr.No. 5/2026, ... Respondent/Complainant For Petitioner : Mr.Mohamed Safiq.M, Advocate. For Respondent : Mr.N.Balasubramanian, Counsel for State of TN (Crl.Side) PETITION FOR BAIL Under Sec.483 of BNSS PRAYER :- C-33AB For Bail in Crime No.5 of 2026 on the file of the Respondent Police. ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner / Accused No.1, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 03.07.2026, for the offences punishable under Sections 7 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act, in Crime No.5 of 2026 on the file of the respondent police, seeks bail.

¶2The case of the prosecution is that the petitioner joining hands with A2 in this case, collected a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- from the defacto complainant for the purpose of releasing the contract bill. Hence, complaint was lodged by the Contractor and trap was laid, at the time of receiving the money the police intervened and after phenolphthalein test is positive, they arrested the accused.

¶3The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is innocent and she was falsely implicated in this case and she has not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution. The petitioner is in custody from 03.07.2026 and ready to abide any condition imposed by this Court. He further submitted that the A2 has already been released on bail by this Court. Hence, he prayed bail for the petitioner.

¶4The learned Counsel appearing for the State reiterated the prosecution case and reported that the petitioner has been arrested only recently. Investigation is still pending. The petitioner has no previous case. He opposed the grant of bail to the petitioner.

¶5This Court heard both sides and perused the materials available on record.

¶6Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, considering the nature of offence, the petitioner is being a lady and A2 has already been released on bail by this Court, the petitioner has no previous case and also considering the period of incarceration, I am inclined to grant bail to the petitioner subject to certain conditions. [a] Accordingly, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail on condition to 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 Principal Sessions Judge, Thanjavur, and on further conditions that: [b] the petitioner shall report before the respondent police daily at 10.30 a.m., for a period of three weeks, thereafter as and when required for interrogation; [c] the petitioner shall not commit any offence similar to the offence of which he/she is accused, or suspected, or of the commission of which he/she is suspected; [d] the petitioner shall not abscond either during investigation or trial; [e] the petitioner shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade her from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer or tamper with the evidence; [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 51730]. [g] If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 BNS.

(K R S J)

31.07.2026 VSG TO

1.The learned Principal Sessions Judge, Thanjavur.

¶2The Superintendent, Special Prison for Women, Tiruchirapalli.

3.The Deputy Superintendent of Police,, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Thanjavur District..

¶4The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. K. RAJASEKAR,J., vsg ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.16026 of 2026 Date : 31/07/2026