HC turns down anticipatory bail plea of Naval official

Criticising the police for ‘protecting’ senior Navy officials, the Kerala High Court on Monday declined to grant anticipatory bail to Lt Ravi Kiran, whose wife had filed a complaint leveling charges of wife swapping by her husband and his superiors.

Criticising the police for ‘protecting’ senior Navy officials, the Kerala High Court on Monday declined to grant anticipatory bail to Lt Ravi Kiran, whose wife had filed a complaint leveling charges of wife swapping by her husband and his superiors.

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Dismissing his bail, Justice Kemal Pesha said that in such a ‘serious matter’ the petitioner is not entitled for anticipatory bail. “It’s a pity the police have taken a casual approach and have not cared to register an offence of gang rape,” the judge observed.

The court pointed out that even now it is being treated as a matrimonial case. It said the petitioner approached the HC taking shelter of the aid which he is getting from police.

The case diary reveals that apart from treating the matter as one under section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman), police have not gone further.

The Navy had already started an internal probe based on the wife’s complaint.