The Kerala High Court has granted bail to six juveniles accused in the high-profile murder of 15-year-old Mohammed Shahabas from Thamarassery, Kozhikode. The tragic incident occurred on February 27 during a farewell event at a tuition centre, where Shahabas was allegedly assaulted with a nunchaku and sustained fatal skull injuries, succumbing the next day.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas, heading the bench, emphasized that continued detention of the juveniles—who have already spent over 98 to 101 days in an observation home—runs counter to the rehabilitative principles of the Juvenile Justice Act. The court clarified that the gravity of the alleged offense does not automatically disqualify a minor from bail under Section 12(1) of the Act.
The bail conditions mandate each juvenile to post a ₹50,000 personal bond with two solvent sureties per parent. They are required to cooperate fully with the ongoing legal proceedings and refrain from contact with known criminal elements.
Remarkably, all six juveniles continued their education while in custody—successfully appearing for their SSLC examinations. The court had earlier permitted temporary bail for five of them to attend higher-secondary admission interviews, resulting in their enrollment in Plus One courses.
However, the decision has drawn strong criticism from Shahabas’s father, Iqbal, who accused authorities of negligence and hinted at political interference. While vowing to appeal the ruling, he voiced cautious support for the accused juveniles’ education—provided it continues within secure, supervised environments.
