Kerala High Court Grants Bail To 6 Juveniles Over Alleged Involvement In Shahabas Murder Case
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (11th June) granted bail to 6 juveniles who were allegedly involved in the murder of 15-year-old Shahabas, a class 10 student. The order was pronounced by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas.The allegation against the juveniles is that the victim succumbed to the attacks by his tuition fellows in Kozhikode. Previously, the Court had denied bail in the...
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (11th June) granted bail to 6 juveniles who were allegedly involved in the murder of 15-year-old Shahabas, a class 10 student. The order was pronounced by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas.
The allegation against the juveniles is that the victim succumbed to the attacks by his tuition fellows in Kozhikode. Previously, the Court had denied bail in the earlier applications preferred by the accused students. The juveniles have been booked under Sections 103(1) (murder), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 189 (unlawful assembly), 191(2), 191(3) (rioting), 118(2) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt) and 190 of BNS
The Court observed that the Juvenile Justice Act does not allow the continued stay of the juveniles in the observation home.
"It is apposite to mention that the seriousness of the offence or the manner in which the offence was committed, are nor considerations under the provisions to section 12(1) of the JJ Act, while considering the question of release of a juvenile on bail. If such considerations are taken into reckoning, the whole focus of the statute will shift. The legislative intent, as evident from section 12 of the JJ Act, is to primarily release the juvenile on bail" observed the Court.
Case No: Bail Application 6291/2025 and connected case
Counsel for the Petitioners: Advocates K. M. Firoz, Jacob E. Simon
Counsel for the Respondents: Advocates Kodoth Sreedharan, K. P. Muhammad Arif, Abdul Jaleel U. K., Chackochen Vithayathil, C. K. Suresh (PP)
Case Title: XX and Others v State of Kerala and Another & Connected Case
Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 332