New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has moved the Supreme Court against the order passed by the Kerala High Court, granting bail to 17 Popular Front of India (PFI) members in connection with the 2022 murder case of RSS leader Srinivasan.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih on Friday. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhatti, appearing for the NIA, contended before the bench that NIA has filed 17 separate appeals in the matter. The bench was hearing a plea of one of the accused, Saddam Hussain MK, whose bail plea was rejected by the High Court.
The apex court was informed that the High Court in an order passed on June 25, granted bail to the 17 accused and rejected the bail pleas of nine accused. The NIA’s counsel said the agency has filed 17 separate special leave petitions and requested the bench to take up all the petitions together.
The bench directed the registry to seek permission from Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud to list all matters together. The High Court’s judgment came on pleas filed by the 26 accused against a special court's order denying them bail. While granting bail to 17 of the 26 accused, the High Court had imposed stringent conditions on them.
The accused, who were granted bail, are also facing trial for allegedly instigating communal violence in Kerala as well as various other parts of the country.
The accused were asked to share their mobile numbers and real-time GPS locations with the investigating officer. Besides, the court asked the accused not to leave Kerala, surrender their passports and keep their mobile phones charged, and active round the clock.
Initially, 51 people were arrayed as accused in connection with the murder of Srinivasan on April 16, 2022, in Palakkad district. One among those arrested died and seven are absconding. Charge sheets against the remaining accused were filed in two phases in July and December 2022.
