Shahabas Murder Case: Kerala High Court Directs Observation Home To Allow Accused Juveniles To Be Admitted To School

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday (June 4) passed an order directing the Superintendent of Observation Home, Kozhikode to take steps to enable the accused juveniles (petitioners) in the Shahabas murder case to take admission in allotted schools.The Station House Officer (SHO) Thamarassery was also directed to provide adequate protection and assistance to the petitioners as well as the Superintendent of the Observation Home for the same.The order was passed by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas in a Criminal Miscellaneous Application in the Bail Application (Crl.M.A. No. 6/2025 in B.A. 6291/2025) filed by the juveniles praying to permit them to take admission in 11th standard in their allotted schools. It was stated in the application that the juveniles had been allotted to three different schools for 11th standard. It was also submitted that the last date for admission in the allotted schools is tomorrow (June 5) and that their absence during the admission process would disqualify them from getting admission.The High Court said:“Having heard the counsel for the petitioners as well as the learned Public Prosecutor and the counsel for the de facto complainant, this Court is of the view that the petitioners' opportunities for education ought not to be restricted, especially since the bail application is being heard by this court and has been reserved for judgment.”Thus, the petitioners were granted liberty for a limited period required, on 5.6.2025, for obtaining admission in their respective allotted schools. The authorities of the Observation Home, Kozhikode were directed to make necessary arrangements either to enable the petitioners' appearance online during the admission process or physically present before the respective schools to obtain admission.The order was handed over in view of the urgency of the matter. The bail applications of the juveniles are presently reserved for orders.BackgroundThe allegation against the juveniles is that they attacked Shahabas with nunchaku over a dispute regarding farewell function held at the tuition centre. It is alleged that the juveniles created Instagram and WhatsApp groups to discuss and decide how to attack Shahabas. It is claimed that the deceased died due to a fracture on his skull.The juveniles have been booked under Sections 103(1) (murder), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 189 (unlawful assembly), 191(2), 191(3) (rioting), 118(2) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt) and 190 of BNS and their bail applications were dismissed by the Juvenile Justice Board. FIR had been registered in the Thamarassery Police Station.Previously, the Court had denied bail in the earlier applications preferred by the accused students.Case No: Bail Application 6291/2025 and connected casesCase Title: Soorya Kiran v. State of Kerala and connected cases

Shahabas Murder Case: Kerala High Court Directs Observation Home To Allow Accused Juveniles To Be Admitted To School

K. Salma Jennath

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