Pannerselvam v. The State of Tamilnadu Rep by the Inspector of Police, Avudaiyarkoil

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 23.07.2026 PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE K.RAJASEKAR

1.Pannerselvam

2.Sundararajan

3.Saravanan

... Petitioners /Petitioners

Versus The State of Tamil Nadu, Rep by the Inspector of Police, Avudaiyarkovil Police Station, Pudukkottai District. (Crime No.134 of 2026) ... Respondent / Respondent PRAYER :-Criminal Miscellaneous Petition filed under Section 483(i)

(b) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to modify the order passed by the Principal Sessions Judge, Pudukkottai in Crl.MP.No.2002 of 2026 dated 15.07.2026 in condition No.1 the petitioner / accused are directed to deposit a sum of Rs.5000 each infavour of District Legal Services Authority, Pudukkottai, within 30 days as Non-refundable deposit and to produce original counterfoil before the jurisdictional Magistrate and condition no.4 that the petitioner shall appear and sign before the Station House Officer of the respondent daily twice at 10.30 a.m. and 05.00 p.m. for a period of 15 days (including holidays) from the next day of execution of bond before the Jurisdictional Magistrate. For Petitioners : Mr.N.Jeyaram Sidharth

For Respondent : Mr.J.Vishnu, Government Advocate (Criminal Side) ORDER : The Court made the following order :- This Criminal Original Petition has been filed seeking modification of Condition Nos.1 and 4 imposed by the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Pudukkottai, in Crl.M.P. No.2002 of 2026, dated

15.07.2026. Under Condition No.1, the petitioners/accused were directed to deposit a sum of Rs.5,000/- each in favour of the District Legal Services Authority, Pudukkottai, as a non-refundable deposit within a period of 30 days and to produce the original counterfoil before the jurisdictional Magistrate. Under Condition No.4, the petitioners were directed to appear before and sign before the Station House Officer of the respondent Police twice daily, at 10.30 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., for a period of 15 days (including holidays) commencing from the next day of execution of the bond before the jurisdictional Magistrate.

¶2The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners are daily wagers, the sole breadwinners of their respective families, and have minor children dependent upon them. He further submitted that, in view of their financial constraints, they are unable to mobilise the amount directed to be deposited by the learned Sessions Judge. Hence, he prayed for modification of the condition relating to the deposit of the said amount.

¶3Per contra, the learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) submitted that the offences alleged against the petitioners are under Sections 296(b) and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. He further submitted that the petitioners have not yet furnished the sureties in compliance with the order passed by the Sessions Court.

¶4Considering the nature of the allegations and the fact that the case does not involve any property loss, misappropriation or any other circumstance warranting a direction to deposit money, this Court is of the view that the condition directing the petitioners to deposit the amount is onerous. Accordingly, Condition No.1 relating to the deposit of the amount stands set aside. Insofar as Condition No.4 is concerned, the petitioners are directed to report before the respondent police daily at

10.30 a.m., for a period of 15 days and thereafter, as and when required for interrogation. Except to the above modification, all the other conditions imposed by the learned Sessions Judge shall remain in force. Accordingly, this Criminal Original Petition stands ordered.

23.07.2026 pal To

1.The Principal Sessions Judge, Pudukkottai .

2.The Inspector of Police, Avudaiyarkovil Police Station, Pudukkottai District.

3.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. K.RAJASEKAR

,J.

pal ORDER IN Date : 23.07.2026