The Chhattisgarh High Court has allowed a 21-year-old student in judicial custody in a suicide abetment case to appear for the NEET re-examination under police custody and directed jail authorities to provide him with study material for preparation.
Counsel for the petitioner, Ankul Biswas, sought an urgent hearing on June 15, stating that the applicant had been preparing for the
An FIR was registered against the petitioner on May 29 for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 20-year-old woman in Raipur on April 20. A seven-page note recovered from her phone allegedly revealed that the petitioner was abusing her and forcing her to meet him.
Following his arrest, he was sent to judicial custody. His counsel then moved the High Court seeking temporary bail to enable him to appear for the NEET examination.
The state counsel told the court that it had no objection if suitable arrangements were made to allow the applicant to take the examination. However, it submitted that there was cogent material against him and that the allegations indicated he had allegedly instigated the deceased to commit suicide.
After hearing both sides, Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha allowed the applicant to appear for the examination while rejecting his plea for temporary bail.
The court said, “…this Court deems it appropriate, in the interest of justice, to permit the applicant to appear in the said examination under police custody rather than granting temporary bail”.
The order said: “The Superintendent of Police, District Raipur, as well as the Superintendent of the concerned Jail, shall ensure that the applicant is taken to the examination centre under proper police custody and is permitted to participate in the aforesaid examination on the scheduled date and time”.
The court directed that the applicant will be provided with the relevant study material in jail to prepare. “Immediately upon completion of the examination, the applicant shall be brought back to the concerned jail where he is presently lodged,” it said.
