Kerala High Court: In a recent case of atrocities staged by some hooligans under the guise of moral policing in Kozhikode District- Kerala, a bench of B. Kemal Pasha J, granted anticipatory bail to the petitioners with stringent conditions, and directed them to pay compensation for the severe loss sustained by the defacto-complainant.
In the instant case, the petitioners formed an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons, committed rioting, and committed house trespass into a Coffee House (defacto-complainant) and caused a wrongful loss of Rs 2,50,000/- to the defacto-complainant.
The Court after hearing the contentions of the Shaji Thomas, the learned Counsel for the petitioners and Shreejith V.S., the learned Public Prosecutor for the respondents, observed that the atrocities were staged by some hooligans (which were the members of the youth wing of a political party) under the guise of moral policing, which also triggered the statewide agitation under the name of “Kiss of Love” Campaign.
The Court noted that “It is a pity that the said incident of moral policing has kindled statewide immoral activities by certain youngsters” and that “unnecessary severe loss has been caused to the defacto-complainant” because of the conduct of the petitioners. The Court directed the petitioners to pay the adequate compensation for the loss incurred, and granted anticipatory bail to the petitioners on execution of a bond of Rs 1,00,000/- (by each of them) and other securities. Prashob K.P. v. State of
