Kerala High Court Grants Bail To 70-Year-Old Man Booked For Allegedly Hunting & Killing Leopard In Reserve Forest

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas allowed the petition taking into consideration the period of custody undergone, the absence of antecedents and the advanced age of the petitioner.

The petitioner was arrayed as an accused in O.R. No. 01/2025 OF Pariyaram Forest Range Office in Thrissur for the offences punishable under section 27(I)(e)(iv) [Penalties for trespass or damage in Reserved Forests and acts prohibited in such forests] of the Kerala Forest Act, 1961 and Sections 2(16) [definition of hunting], 9 [Prohibition of hunting] and 51 [Penalties] of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

According to the prosecution, the petitioner committed the alleged offence on 23.09.2025. He was arrested on 25.09.2025 and has been in custody ever since.

The petitioner's counsel contended that he was arrayed solely because the animal was found with a cable on his legs and the petitioner is being made a scapegoat by someone else. It was also argued that there is no evidence to show that the trap was kept in a reserve forest.

The Court observed:

“Petitioner is alleged to have laid a cable trap to prevent entry of wild animals into his property. Though the prosecution alleges that the cable trap was kept in a reserve forest, prima facie, there are no materials available to indicate as to who had laid the cable trap or the place where the trap was laid with a cable trap, there is nothing available to indicate the place where.”

Thus, the bail application was allowed on conditions.

Case No: BA No. 12382 of 2025

Case Title: Baby V.J. v. State of Kerala and Ors.

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 639

Counsel for the petitioner: Manumon A., Rebin Vincent Gralan, Suresh C., Edathara Vineeta Krishnan, Rosna M. Joy, Gayathri E.S., Athira Suresh, John Christo T.P., Akshay Kumar C.S., Liniya Loveson, Anjali N.S., Jayan Kuttichakku

Counsel for the respondents: Prasanth M.P., Public Prosecutor

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