The Kerala High Court on Tuesday adjourned to Friday the hearing on a petition filed by Swapna Suresh, an accused in the diplomatic gold smuggling case, seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered on a complaint by K.T. Jaleel MLA.
When the petition came up for hearing before Justice Viju Abraham, counsel for Swapna sought a directive to the police not to arrest her till Friday. However, the court declined to give any such interim order.
The petitioner pointed out that the High Court had closed an anticipatory bail plea moved by her earlier in the case, recording the submission of the prosecution that the alleged offences in the FIR were all bailable and she could not have any apprehension of arrest in the case.
She pointed out that while issuing her notice under Section 41(1)(A) of the Criminal Procedure Code for questioning, new non-bailable offences had been added to the FIR. The offences under Sections 464 (making fake documents), 469 (forgery), and 505 (b) (statements conducing to public mischief) had been added. The intention of the police was to arrest her under the guise of questioning, she said.
The court also adjourned to Friday the hearing on her petition for quashing the case.
