Shanthiniprabha@ Shanthini @ Shanthini Annamalai, v. State of Tamilnadu Rep by Inspector of Police, Eow

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 23.07.2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K. RAJASEKAR CRL OP(MD). No. 14810 of 2026 Shanthiniprabha @ Shanthini @ Shanthini Annamalai

...Petitioner

Vs State of Tamil Nadu rep. by The Inspector of Police, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Dindigul District. (Crime No.1 of 2024)

...Respondent/Complainant

For Petitioner : Mr.M.Karunanithi

Advocate

For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar Counsel for State of TN (Crl. Side) PETITION FOR BAIL Under Sec.483 of BNSS PRAYER :- For Bail in Cr.No. 1 of 2024 on the file of the respondent police. ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner / Accused, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 06.05.2026, for the offences punishable under Sections 406, 420, 120(b) of IPC and Section 5 of Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors (In Financial Establishments) Act, in Crime No.1 of 2024 on the file of the respondent police, seeks bail.

¶2The case of the prosecution is that the petitioner herein joining hands with other accused involved in floating building society and collected total sum of Rs.14.21 Crores from 849 depositors and subsequently cheated them. Hence, a case has been registered and the accused were arrested.

¶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. He would further submit that the FIR was registered as early as in the year 2024 and the petitioner is the wife of A2 in this case. She has been named as Vice President of the Housing Society and the entire activities of the society was carried out by A2, her husband. A2 was already arrested and released on bail by the Special Court in Crl.M.P.No.160 of 2024. The petitioner was arrested and she is in incarceration from 06.05.2026 and ready to abide any condition imposed by this Court. Already majority of the properties were attached. Hence, he prayed bail for the petitioner.

¶4The learned Counsel appearing for the State reiterated the prosecution case and reported that Rs.9 Crores worth about properties were attached. Investigation in this case is pending. So far only four accused namely A2, A4, A6 and A7 were arrested and investigation in this case is pending. 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, nature of offences, that the petitioner being a lady, in this case some of the properties have also been identified and attached and also it is the case of the year 2024, the co-accused A2, the main accused, namely the husband of the petitioner was released on bail by the Special Court, the petitioner is in custody more than two months 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 Sessions Judge, Special Court under the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors (In Financial Establishments) Act, Madurai, and on further conditions that: [b] the petitioner shall report before the respondent police daily, at 10.30 a.m., until further orders; [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)

23.07.2026 TM To

1.The Sessions Judge, Special Court under the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors (In Financial Establishments) Act, Madurai.

2.The Inspector of Police, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Dindigul District. (Crime No.1 of 2024)

3.The Superintendent, Special Prison for Women, Madurai.

4.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.

K. RAJASEKAR, J. TM ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No. 14810 of 2026 Date : 23.07.2026