The Supreme Court has dismissed the NIA’s plea to cancel the bail granted to 18 accused in the Palakkad Srinivasan murder case. The NIA had sought cancellation of bail for 18 Popular Front of India (PFI) workers, but the court directed the agency to approach the special court if it wished to pursue the matter further.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and N.K. Singh rejected the petition. The NIA argued that the Kerala High Court erred in granting bail to the accused, citing their clear criminal backgrounds. Additional Solicitor General Raja Thakare, appearing for the NIA, had submitted detailed records of the accused’s criminal history to the Supreme Court.
However, the apex court, after examining the details, observed that there was nothing significantly compelling in the records to justify cancellation of the bail.
Srinivasan, an RSS leader, was killed in Palakkad on April 16, 2022. According to the investigation team, the murder was an act of retaliation for the killing of PFI leader A. Subair. The Kerala High Court had earlier granted bail to the accused, stating that there was no direct evidence establishing their involvement in the crime.
