The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to a woman who allegedly, with a view to take revenge and mar another fellow, woman co-artist’s chances in getting roles in dramas, threw acid on her face.
A single judge bench of Justice K Natarajan , on September 9,2022, allowed the petition filed by Swathi and directed the committal court to release her on bail in case registered by Nandini Layout Police Station for the offences punishable under Sections 326A, 448 read with Section 34 of IPC, on execution of a personal bond for a sum of Rs.5,00,000, with two sureties for the like sum reports LiveLaw.
The Petitioner is named as the third accused in the FIR. According to the prosecution (Swathi v. State of Karnataka), she colluded with accused no. 1 and 2 and the trio decided to throw acid on the victim’s face to make her ‘ugly’. In pursuance of this, it is alleged that the trio drove to her house where accused No.1 threw cleaning acid on her face and the back while she was sleeping and ran away.
After verifying the CCTV footage, accused Nos.1 to 3 were arrested and they are in custody.
Findings:
While the Court did remark that it is unfortunate that a woman, in order to take revenge against another woman, threw acid on her through accused Nos.1 and 2 to disfigure her as a competition, it however allowed the bail plea. Keeping in view the “superficial injury” sustained by the victim and the duration of the petitioner’s custody, she was ordered to be released. The Court also said that investigation in the matter is complete and a charge-sheet has been filed.
“This petitioner is also a woman, a co-drama artist and in custody for almost more than five months. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the co-accused are already arrested and they are in jail, therefore, by imposing certain stringent conditions, if bail is granted to the petitioner, no prejudice would be caused to the case of the prosecution.“
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