The Kerala High Court on Thursday, November 5, granted anticipatory bail to the district judge accused in the Kochi Mercedes-Benz accident that occurred on October 25 in Cheranalloor, LiveLaw reported (2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 611). A detailed order is awaited. The prosecution allegation is that the judge's 17-year-old son took the car, which rammed into the scooter driven by the late Jayabalakrishnan, a 55-year-old street food vendor from South Chittoor.

Source: LiveLaw

"He has all along been cooperating. He will cooperate, whenever you want... If genuinely, custodial interrogation is needed, I will definitely not grant him bail," Justice Kauser Edappagath orally told the Additional Director of Prosecution while passing the order, adding that the judge is under the supervision of the High Court and that the court would cancel the bail if he did not cooperate, including during the roughly six hours he was already interrogated. The Hindu also reported the grant of anticipatory bail on November 5, noting the court's observation that the judge had all along cooperated with the probe.

Source: The Hindu (via ScoopFeeds listing)

The earlier developments this decision follows

This is the latest major development in a case Awaaz Punjab has followed since the October 25 crash: the High Court had granted the judge interim protection from arrest on October 29, and on November 3 it reserved its order on his anticipatory bail plea after an evidence-related charge was added against him. Senior Advocate P. Vijayabhanu, appearing for the judge with advocate John S. Ralph, argued that the minor took the car without the judge's knowledge and pointed to the six hours of interrogation the judge had already undergone.

The judge, a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal judge posted at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district and the registered owner of the car, has been booked by the Cheranalloor police under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), read with Sections 181, 183 and 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, which deal with offences by juveniles and the liability of guardians and vehicle owners. These are allegations under investigation; no court has held him guilty. The minor was earlier granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board, and the state's plea to cancel that bail has been pending before a sessions court, according to earlier reports by Bar and Bench and IANS.

Source: Bar and Bench