Sending Money To Complainant's Relative Not Proof Of Crime: Kerala High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Woman Accused Of Trafficking

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas in his order noted that accused 1 and 3 were already out on anticipatory bail, after the high court had noted that "offence of trafficking of persons is not seen to be prima facie attracted". 

"A reading of the FIR does not indicate any serious allegation against the petitioner who is arrayed as the 2nd accused. The main allegations are raised against accused 1 and 3. Though there is an allegation of conspiracy between all the accused, already accused 1 and 3 have been granted anticipatory bail and hence there is no reason to deny pre-arrest bail to the petitioner," the court said. 

"The learned public prosecutor pointed out that petitioner had sent an amount of Rs. 15,000/- to the daughter-in-law of the complainant, however, that by itself do not indicate any involvement of the petitioner in the alleged crime of trafficking of persons," the court observed. 

The high court granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner subject to her  executing a bond of ₹50,000 with two solvent sureties and subject to certain conditions

Case Title: Aparna Nair v State of Kerala

Case No: Bail Appl. 8964/ 2025

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 543

Counsel for Petitioner: Sreehari Indukaladharan

Counsel for Respondent: Noushad K A (PP)