(Prayer: This Criminal Appeal has been filed under Section 14-A(2) of SC/ST Act, 1989, to call for the records relating to the order of the learned Special Court for Trial of SC/ST Cases, Pudukkottai District in Crl.M.P.No.255 of 2025, dismissing the bail application of the appellants vide its order dated 03.12.2025 and thereby set aside the same and grant bail to the appellants by allowing this Criminal Appeal.)

1. This Criminal Appeal has been filed against the order dated 03.12.2025, dismissing the petitioner's bail application in Crl.M.P.No.255 of 2025.

2. The case of the defacto complainant is that he was working as an Omni Bus Driver and had obtained housing loans from the Cholamandalam Finance and Belstare Micro Finance Limited. According to the defacto complainant, on 30.09.2025, A1/Naveen, who was a collection agent of the said Finance company contacted the defacto complainant over the phone and abused him with insulting words. The defacto complainant further stated on the same day at about 12.30 p.m., A1/Naveen went to the defacto complainant's residence, demanded immediate repayment of the loan, abused and threatened his wife and that his wife was unable to bear the humiliation, committed suicide.

3. The appellants had preferred bail applications before the Special Court, Pudukkottai, in Crl.M.P.Nos.204 and 205 of 2025, which was dismissed by a common order on 08.05.2025. Aggrieved by the same, the appellants preferred Crl.A(MD)Nos.1168 and 1169 of 2025 before this Court and the same were dismissed on 18.11.2025, mainly on the ground that the investigation was at the initial stage. According to the appellants, the investigation was completed and also the main accused A1/Naveen was released on bail in Crl.M.P.No.253 of 2025 on 21.11.2025. According to the appellants, when the main accused has been released on bail, the dismissal of their application is illegal and untenable. Therefore, the appellants have preferred the above criminal appeal.

4. The learned counsel for the appellants submitted that the appellants' name was not in the FIR and that they are in no way connected with the occurrence. According to the appellants, they are only collection agents of Cholamandalam Finance and Belstare Micro Finance Limited from whom the defacto complainant had taken loan. The learned counsel further submitted that it was only A1/Naveen, who was involved in the incident and despite the same, he was released on bail in Crl.M.P.No.253 of 2025. The learned counsel submitted that in view of the fact that the investigation has now been completed and the case has been taken on file as Spl.S.C.No.63 of 2025 before the Special Court for Trial of SC/ST cases, Pudukkottai, the appeal may be allowed.

5. The learned counsel for the defacto complainant submitted that the Cholamandalam Finance and Belstare Micro Finance Limited had engaged the appellants for the purpose of collection of loan amounts and the appellants were at the scene of occurrence and arrested from the same place. The learned counsel further submitted that the appellants were directly responsible for the suicidal death of the defacto complainant's wife and that the Court below was justified in rejecting the bail application.

6. Heard both sides and perused the materials on record.

7. It is seen that the appellants had earlier filed Crl.A(MD)Nos. 1168 and 1169 of 2025 and this Court vide order dated 18.11.2025 rejected the appeal on the ground that the investigation was at the initial stage and that the appellants were under judicial custody. The appellants thereafter filed an application for bail before the Special Court for Trial of SC/ST Cases, Pudukkottai, and the Trial Court, by the impugned order dated 03.12.2025, dismissed the application on the ground that the offence was grave.

8. It is seen that the learned Judge has not even referred to the main accused, A1/Naveen's release on bail, even though by the same Court on 21.11.2025. Further, this Court had earlier dismissed the applications on the solitary ground that the investigation was under progress and that the appellants were under judicial custody.

9. In view the subsequent circumstances, namely, completion of investigation, filing of charge sheet and registration of case as Spl.S.C.No.63 of 2025 and the enlargement of the main accused, A1/Naveen, on bail, this Court is inclined to allow the present criminal appeal.

10. Accordingly, this Criminal Appeal is allowed. The appellants are ordered to be released on bail on executing a bond for a sum of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand only) each with two sureties each for a like sum to the satisfaction of Special Court for Trial of SC/ST Cases, Pudukkottai, subject to the condition that they should go and stay at Kanniyakumari and appear before the Kanniyakumari Police Station at 10.00 a.m. and at 05.00 p.m., twice a day without fail and sign for 15 days, except on the days of hearing of the case.