The Kerala High Court has granted bail to a woman accused of assisting her brother in the alleged killing of her minor daughter, observing that there was no direct material connecting her to the crime apart from the confession statement of the co-accused. The order was passed by Justice Dr. Kauser Edappagath on June 8, 2026.
Background of the Case
The bail application was filed by Sreethu, the second accused in Crime No. 154/2025 registered at Balaramapuram Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram district.
According to the prosecution, the first accused, who is the woman's brother, allegedly took away her minor daughter from the bedroom during the early hours of January 30, 2025. The prosecution claimed that he later threw the child into a well, resulting in her death. It was further alleged that the woman had facilitated the act and remained silent despite being aware of what was happening.
The prosecution also alleged that petrol used to create a diversion after the incident had been provided by the applicant. The case involves charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice Act.
Counsel appearing for the applicant argued that she had been falsely implicated and that there was no evidence directly linking her to the alleged offence. It was submitted that the prosecution had failed to place any material on record showing her involvement in the incident.
The State opposed the plea, contending that the incident was part of a deliberate criminal act and that the applicant had played a role in facilitating the offence.
After examining the case diary, the High Court noted that the applicant was initially not named as an accused when the crime was registered. The court pointed out that she was added as an accused nearly nine months later, based on the confession statement of the first accused.
The bench observed that the entire overt act alleged in the case had been attributed to the first accused. The court further noted that while the prosecution alleged collusion and facilitation by the applicant, there were no direct materials connecting her to the crime beyond the confession statement.
“The prosecution case is that the applicant facilitated and colluded with the accused No.1 to kill the victim. However, apart from the confession statement, there are no direct materials to connect the applicant with the crime,” the court observed.
Justice Edappagath also took note of the fact that the applicant is a woman and had remained in custody since September 26, 2025. While acknowledging the serious nature of the allegations and the brutal manner in which the crime was alleged to have been committed, the court held that continued detention was not necessary at this stage.
Allowing the bail application, the Kerala High Court directed that the applicant be released on bail upon furnishing a bond of ₹1 lakh with two solvent sureties. The court also imposed conditions requiring her to cooperate with the investigation, report before the investigating officer every Saturday, refrain from influencing witnesses, and not leave Kerala without the trial court's permission.
Case Details
Case Title: Sreethu v. State of Kerala
Case Number: Bail Application No. 2683 of 2026
Judge: Justice Dr. Kauser Edappagath
Decision Date: June 8, 2026
