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SC cancels anticipatory bail for Tamil Nadu police officer in train molestation case
The Supreme Court on May 7, 2026 set aside a Madras High Court order granting anticipatory bail to a suspended Tamil Nadu police head constable accused of harassing a woman on a moving train. The Court remanded the case for fresh, merits-based consideration by the High Court. The incident occurred in December 2025 on the Central-Coimbatore Intercity train near Katpadi, triggering a criminal case and suspension.
Why It Matters
The ruling clarifies that suspension alone does not justify anticipatory bail and requires proper merits-based review. It also highlights ongoing concerns about safety for women on public transport.
Timeline
3 Events
May 7, 2026: Supreme Court sets aside HC order and remands
May 7, 2026
The Supreme Court set aside the Madras High Court’s January 7, 2026 order granting anticipatory bail, holding that the high court’s reasoning—based on suspension and lack of custodial interrogation—was unsustainable in law. It remanded the matter to the High Court for fresh merits-based consideration expeditiously and allowed the law student to present her case.
January 7, 2026: Madras High Court grants anticipatory bail
January 7, 2026
The Madras High Court granted pre-arrest (anticipatory) bail to head constable Sheik Abdulla Mohammed, noting that he had already been suspended and that custodial interrogation would not be necessary.
December 2025: Incident on Central-Coimbatore Intercity train near Katpadi
December 2025
In late December 2025, a 23-year-old law student traveling alone on the Central-Coimbatore Intercity train alleged that head constable Sheik Abdulla Mohammed touched and harassed her as the train neared Katpadi. She recorded the incident and alerted railway police. The officer was detained from the train, a criminal case was registered against him, and he was placed under suspension pending inquiry. He was charged under sections 62, 75 and 304(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002.