The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to lawyer and Congress leader Laly Vincent, who is accused in an ongoing CSR scam case. The case centers on a transaction where ₹47,74,500 was transferred to Vincent’s bank account over a period of four years.
Investigations reveal that the prime accused, Ananthu Krishnan, allegedly transferred the funds, which Vincent claims were paid as her professional fee for providing legal advice. Reflecting on the nature of the payment, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan remarked,
“When a lawyer states that it is my professional fees, can I say that it is not professional fees?”
The CSR scam case involves allegations that Krishnan deceived several individuals by promising products such as two-wheelers, home appliances, and laptops at 50% of their market price. The fraud was reportedly conducted under the banner of the National NGO Confederation, with victims led to believe that companies’ CSR contributions would cover the balance of the payments.
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Vincent has been booked under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the BNS at the Kannur Town South Police Station. She maintained that she was simply performing her professional duties, arguing that accepting a fee in her capacity as a lawyer does not imply criminal wrongdoing. The Court has directed her to appear before the investigating officer within two weeks for further inquiry.
In his observations, Justice Kunhikrishnan noted,
“It cannot be said that the Petitioner is involved in the allegations raised by the prosecution. I am not in a position to conclude that she has any involvement at this stage, but the investigating officer is free to investigate in accordance with the law.”
Additionally, the Court addressed multiple bail applications filed by various accused individuals across different districts in connection with the CSR scam. Those applicants are required to surrender to the investigating officer for interrogation within two weeks and to appear before the Magistrate Court on the same day. However, this condition does not apply to the main accused.
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The Court also stressed the importance of adhering to the Apex Court guidelines established in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar (2014), ensuring that the investigation is conducted fairly and that the rights of all parties are maintained.
Case Title: Laly Vincent v State of Kerala
Case No: Bail Appl. 1789/2025
