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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. [2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 611]

A detailed order is awaited.

The prosecution allegation is that the accused judge's 17-year-old son took the car, which rammed into the scooter driven by late Jayabalakrishnan.

Dr. Justice Kauser Edappagath passed the order granting bail.

"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. He is under the supervision of the High Court...He says he did not know that the car was taken...What do you want? You want to interrogate him? You want him in jail? As a responsible officer of this Court, do you think that a district judge will not cooperate? The moment that you feel he does not cooperate, you come here. I'll cancel the bail. Do you have a case that he did not cooperate in the 6 hours he was interrogated?," the Court today orally asked the Additional Director of Prosecution.

The judge has been booked by the Cheranalloor police under Section 105 [Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 read with Sections 181 [Driving vehicles in contravention of section 3 or section 4], 183 [Driving at excessive speed, etc.], and 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act [Offences by juveniles].

Senior Advocate P. Vijayabhanu argued that the minor took the car without the knowledge of the accused judge. It was also pointed out that the accused judge was subjected to interrogation for around 6 hours.

The Court had earlier granted interim protection from arrest to the accused judge.

Counsel for the petitioner: P. Vijayabhanu (Sr.), John S. Ralph

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