Make arrangements to enable students accused in Shahabaz murder case to attend admission process: HC

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the Superintendent, observation home, Kozhikode, to initiate appropriate steps to enable the students accused in the Shahabaz murder case either to appear online or physically before the authorities of the higher secondary schools allotted to them for obtaining admission on June 5.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the order while reserving the order on the bail petitions filed by the students. The court ordered that the petitioners shall be given liberty for a limited period on June 5 from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. under the personal bond of both their parents, if required.

The court also directed the Station House Officer, Thamarassery police station, to provide adequate protection and assistance to the petitioners as well as the Superintendent of the observation home for enabling the petitioners to attend the admission process, if they are required to attend physically.

When the bail petitions came up for hearing, counsel for the students submitted that the last date for admission to the allotted schools is June 5. Absence of the petitioners for the admission process would disqualify them from obtaining admission. As their bail applications had already been reserved for orders, counsel sought that they be released provisionally for taking admission in the schools.

The court observed that “petitioners ought not be denied the opportunities available to them to pursue education. The bail applications have already been reserved for orders. Admissions are time specific. Hence, petitioners ought to be permitted to have liberty for a limited period for obtaining admission in the respective allotted schools as otherwise their future can be prejudiced.

Published - June 04, 2025 07:14 pm IST