D.Chiristopher Jebaraj @ Chiristopher v. State of Tamilnadu Rep by Inspector of Police, Thoothukudi South

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT ( Criminal Jurisdiction ) Date : 13/08/2026 PRESENT The Hon`ble Mr.Justice K.MURALI SHANKAR D.Chiristopher Jebaraj @ Chiristopher

: Petitioner/A1 Vs State rep.by The Inspector of Police, Thoothukudi South Police Station, Thoothukudi District. Cr.No. 566 of 2026. : Respondent/Complainant For Petitioner : Mr.P.Banuprasath, Advocate. For Respondent : Mr.T.Lenin Kumar, Counsel for State of Tamil Nadu (Criminal Side) PETITION FOR ANTICIPATORY BAIL Under Sec.482 of B.N.S.S. PRAYER :- For Anticipatory Bail in Crime No.566 of 2026 on the file of the Respondent Police. ORDER : The Court made the following order :- The petitioner/A1, who apprehends arrest at the hands of the respondent police for the offences punishable under Sections 296(b), 351(3), 316(2) and 318(4) of B.N.S, in Cr.No.566 of 2026, seeks anticipatory bail.

2.The case of the prosecution is that the petitioner along with other accused obtained a lorry and JCB from the defacto complainant on a rental basis; that thereafter, the petitioner neither returned the vehicles nor accounted for their whereabouts; that when the defacto complainant attempted to trace the vehicles, they were found to be missing; when the same was questioned by the defacto complainant, the petitioner along with other accused threatened the defacto complainant with dire consequences. Hence, the present complaint.

¶3The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner is an innocent and not committed any offence as alleged by the prosecution. He would further submit that this is the second anticipatory bail petition; that after the dismissal of the earlier anticipatory bail petition, the learned Principal Sessions Judge, Thoothukudi, granted anticipatory bail to the second accused, subject to the condition that the second accused shall deposit a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- before the concerned Court. However, he would further submit that the petitioner, without prejudice to his rights, is ready to deposit the amount that may be imposed by this Court.

4.The learned Counsel for State of Tamil Nadu (Criminal Side) would submit that the petitioner's earlier anticipatory bail petition was dismissed by this Court and that the second accused was granted anticipatory bail by the learned Sessions Judge. He would further submit that the investigation is in progress and that therefore, he opposed the grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner.

5.Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the fact that the petitioner has no bad antecedents, and also taking note of the anticipatory bail granted to the second accused, this Court is inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner, but with certain conditions.

¶6Accordingly, the petitioner shall deposit a sum of Rs.2,00,000/- (Rupees Two Lakhs only) as cash security before the Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Thoothukudi. Upon such deposit, the learned Judicial Magistrate shall cause the said amount to be invested in an interest-bearing fixed deposit in any nationalised bank, initially for a period of one year and thereafter renew the same periodically, until the disposal of the case. The fixed deposit receipt shall be retained in the custody of the Court and the amount, together with the accrued interest, shall be subject to further orders of the Court.

7.On production of such receipt/ acknowledgment, the petitioner is ordered to be released on bail in the event of arrest or on his appearance, within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, before the learned Judicial Magistrate No.I, Thoothukudi, on condition that the petitioner shall execute 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 Magistrate concerned and on further conditions that: [a]the petitioner and the sureties shall affix their photographs and left thumb impression in the surety bond and the Magistrate may obtain a copy of their Aadhaar card or bank pass book to ensure their identity; [b]the petitioner shall report before the respondent police daily at 10.30 a.m., for a period of one month and thereafter, as and when required for interrogation; [c]the petitioner shall not tamper with the evidence or witness either during investigation or trial; [d]the petitioner shall not abscond either during investigation or trial; [e]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]; [f]If the accused thereafter absconds, a fresh FIR can be registered under Section 269 BNS, 2023. (K M S J)

13.08.2026 DAS K.MURALI SHANKAR,J das To

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

2.The Inspector of Police, Thoothukudi South Police Station, Thoothukudi District.

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

CRL OP(MD) No.16864 of 2026 Date : 13/08/2026