Supreme Court Restores Bail to Five in K.S. Shan Murder Case, Sets Aside Kerala HC Order

Overview

• Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih reinstated bail for Abhimanue, Athul, Sanand, Vishnu and Dhaneesh that the Kerala High Court had cancelled in December 2024.
• The order bars the accused from entering Alappuzha except for hearings, requires alternate‑day attendance at local police stations, and prohibits any interference with witnesses or evidence.
• The court allowed the Kerala Police to appoint an officer to monitor compliance and provide witness protection, and it urged the trial court to record testimony without delay.
• Citing 141 witnesses and the time the case will take, the bench leaned toward liberty, noting the men spent about a year in custody and had not reoffended while previously on bail.
• The State’s claim that Vishnu breached interim bail by assaulting a man named Abhiram was rejected after the purported victim filed an affidavit denying his involvement.