Disposed¶29

Meenakshi Sundaram @ Sundaram v. The State Rep. by the Inspector of Police (Law and Order)

Madras HC21 Apr 2025CRL OP/10924/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Madras HC bail order (Sunder Mohan J., 21.04.2025) disposing Crl.O.P.No.10924 of 2024 (S.483 BNSS prayer): bail again withheld from Meenakshi Sundaram @ Sundaram, Accused 2, remanded 02.09.2018 for Ss.302 & 120(B) IPC murder-conspiracy poisoning case, Crime No.1101 of 2018, Kundrathur PS, Chennai - 14th application; prior refusals incl. 21.06.2023 Crl.O.P.No.7705 of 2023 - trial at fag end, 22 witnesses examined - renewal permitted if trial not concluded within two months.

What did the court decide?

Immediate bail refused; conditional liberty to renew the bail application if the trial is not concluded within two months. ¶29

Meenakshi Sundaram @ Sundaram Vs The State Rep… — Murder and Culpable Homicide | Madras HC (2025)

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Crl.O.P.No.10924 of 2024

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

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DATED : 21.04.2025

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CORAM

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THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE SUNDER MOHAN

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Crl.O.P.No.10924 of 2024

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Meenakshi Sundaram @ Sundaram ...Petitioner/Accused 2

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Vs.

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State rep by The Inspector of Police (L & O), Kundrathur Police Station, Chennai District.

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(Crime No.1101 of 2018) ...Respondent

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PRAYER: This criminal original petition has been filed under Section 483 of BNSS to enlarge the petitioners on bail in Crime No.1101 of 2018 on the file of the respondent police.

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For Petitioner	:	Mr.J.Chelladurai Caldwell
For Respondent	:	Mr. Leonard Arul Joseph Selvam
		Government Advocate (Crl. Side)

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ORDER

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This Criminal Original Petition has been filed by the petitioner, who

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was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on 02.09.2018, seeking bail

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Page No.1 of 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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Crl.O.P.No.10924 of 2024

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in Crime No.1101 of 2018 registered for the offence under Sections 302 & 120(B) of IPC.

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2.It is the case of the prosecution that the defacto complainant is the husband of the first accused and that they had two children; that the first accused had illicit relationship with this petitioner; that the first accused and the petitioner conspired together and caused the death of the two children of the first accused by poisoning. Hence, the case.

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3.This is the 14^th bail application filed by the petitioner before this Court. The earlier bail applications were dismissed by this Court on the ground that the petitioner along with the first accused had committed serious offences. The last bail application was dismissed on 21.06.2023 in Crl.O.P.No.7705 of 2023.

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4.The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the allegations against the petitioner have not been established; that the prosecution has examined 22 witnesses and also pointed out that the evidence of those witnesses does not incriminate the petitioner and that in

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Page No.2 of 4

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https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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Crl.O.P.No.10924 of 2024

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any case, considering the period of incarceration from 2018, he may be released on bail.

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5.The learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) per contra would submit that the trial at the fag end and the since the successive bail applications were dismissed by this Court, the petitioner cannot be released on bail at this stage and that the trial would be completed within a period of two months.

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6.This is the 14^th bail application filed before this Court. The successive bail applications were dismissed from 13.11.2018 and the last of the order was passed on 21.06.2023. Though the petitioner cannot be incarcerated indefinitely pending trial, this Court is not inclined to grant bail to the petitioner since the trial is at the fag end. However, the petitioner shall be at liberty to renew the bail application, if the trial is not concluded within a period of two months.

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7.With these above observations, the Criminal Original Petition is disposed of.

21.04.2025

ata

Page No.3 of 4

https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis

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Crl.O.P.No.10924 of 2024