Bail for 31 accused in rape case

Kochi, Mar 21 : The Kerala High Court today granted bail to 31 accused in the 1996 Suryanelli rape case, subject to certain conditions.

A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Justices K T Shankaran and M L Joseph Francis, allowed the bail pleas with certain conditions, including that the accused shall not leave the state and pay the fine required by the trail court along with a Rs 50000 bond and two solvent surities.

The condition also states that the victim in this case should not be subjected to harassment of any kind.

The accused had applied for bail after the Supreme Court asked the Kerala High Court to re-examine the evidence in the 1996 case.

Though the High court had acquitted 35 and convicted only one person to life sentence, the Apex court had asked the Kerala High Court to re-examine the evidence.