Kerala High Court rejects anticipatory bail for Political Leaders accused of assaulting Advocate over Complaint Drafting

The Kerala High Court, presided by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, dismissed a bail application filed by nine individuals accused of assaulting a practicing advocate in Kozhikode. The accused persons, allegedly political leaders, were charged under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha, 2023, including grievous assault using dangerous weapons.

According to the prosecution, the advocate was brutally attacked on April 29, 2025, while riding his motorcycle at night. The motive was linked to the victim’s professional role in drafting a complaint against the accused persons. Medical records indicated the victim sustained fractures to his rib and vertebrae.

The Court emphasized the gravity of attacking a lawyer for performing his professional duty, observing that such acts undermine the rule of law. Citing the Supreme Court’s precedent in P. Krishna Mohan Reddy v. State of Andhra Pradesh, 2025 LiveLaw SC 598, the judge underscored the importance of custodial interrogation for effective investigation, including recovery of the weapon of offence.

Rejecting arguments that the allegations were fabricated, the Court noted that protecting the accused persons with anticipatory bail would hamper interrogation. Consequently, the bail application was dismissed, reaffirming the judiciary’s commitment to protecting legal professionals and upholding the rule of law.