Raji v. The State of Tamilnadu Rep by

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 17.08.2026 PRESENT The Hon`ble Mr.Justice K.MURALI SHANKAR Raji

... Petitioner/ Accused No.2

Vs The State of Tamil Nadu, The Inspector of Police, Kovilpatti East Police Station, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District. (Crime No.569 of 2026) ... Respondent/ Complainant For Petitioner : Mr.G.Radhakrishnan, Advocate For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar, Counsel for State of TN(Crl.Side) PETITION FOR BAIL Under Section 483 of B.N.S.S. PRAYER :- For Bail in Crime No.569 of 2026 on the file of the Respondent Police. ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner / second accused, who was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on

25.06.2026 for the offence punishable under Section 318(4) BNS, in Crime No.569 of 2026, on the file of the respondent police, seeks bail.

¶2The case of the prosecution is that on

25.06.2026, the petitioner and the first accused went to the fish shop of the defacto complainant and requested change for a sum of Rs.500/-, for which, the defacto complainant gave the requisite change and that subsequently, the defacto complainant came to know that the said Rs.500/- currency note was counterfeit. Hence, the complaint.

¶3No doubt, the petitioner's earlier bail petition in Crl.O.P.(MD)No.14441 of 2026 was dismissed by this Court vide order dated 16.07.2026.

¶4The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is an innocent and he has been falsely implicated in the above case and that he is no way connected with the alleged crime. He would further submit that the third accused was granted bail by this Court in Crl.O.P.

(MD)No.15783 of 2026 on 30.07.2026 and that the petitioner is in judicial custody from 25.06.2026.

¶5The learned Counsel for State of TN (Criminal Side) appearing for the respondent police would submit that there are totally three accused and the petitioner is arrayed as second accused, that during the course of investigation, they came to know that the petitioner and the first accused went to Maharashtra, where, they allegedly procured counterfeit currency notes and that 500 counterfeit currency notes of 100 denomination each were recovered. He would further submit that the petitioner is having one previous case and that the third accused was granted bail by this Court.

¶6Considering the above facts and circumstances and also the facts that the petitioner is in judicial custody from 25.06.2026, that the third accused was granted bail by this Court and that the petitioner is not having any previous cases for similar offence, this Court is inclined to grant bail to the petitioner subject to the following conditions:

¶7Accordingly, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail on his executing a bond for a sum of Rs.25,000/- (Rupees Twenty Five Thousand only) with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of the learned Judicial Magistrate No.I, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

(i)the sureties shall affix their photographs and left thumb impression in the surety bond and the Magistrate / concerned court may obtain a copy of their Aadhar card or Bank Pass Book to ensure their identity;

(ii)the petitioner shall report before the respondent police daily at 10.30 a.m., until further orders;

(iii)the petitioner shall not tamper with evidence or witness;

(iv)the petitioner shall not abscond during trial;

(v)On breach of any of the aforesaid conditions, the learned 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 is 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 5560];

(vi)If the accused thereafter abscond, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 BNS, 2023. (K M S J)

17.08.2026 CSM TO

¶1The Judicial Magistrate No.I, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

¶2The Superintendent, Sub Jail, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

¶3The Inspector of Police, Kovilpatti East Police Station, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

¶4The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. K.MURALI SHANKAR,J CSM ORDER IN CRL OP(MD) No.17683 of 2026 Date : 17.08.2026