In a significant order, the Kerala High Court on June 4 directed the Superintendent of the Observation Home, Kozhikode, to make all necessary arrangements for the admission of the juvenile accused in the Shahabas murder case into their allotted schools.
The Court also instructed the Station House Officer (SHO), Thamarassery, to provide proper assistance and protection to the Superintendent and the petitioners during the admission process.
This order was passed by Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas while considering a Criminal Miscellaneous Application (Crl.M.A. No. 6/2025 in B.A. 6291/2025) filed by the juveniles. The plea was to allow them to take admission in the 11th standard as they had already been allotted seats in three different schools.
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It was informed in the petition that June 5 was the last date for admission, and failure to appear would lead to disqualification from enrollment.
"Having heard the counsel for the petitioners as well as the learned Public Prosecutor and the counsel for the de facto complainant, this Court is of the view that the petitioners' opportunities for education ought not to be restricted, especially since the bail application is being heard by this court and has been reserved for judgment,"
— Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas
Accordingly, the Court granted liberty to the petitioners for June 5, 2025, to secure admission. The Superintendent of the Observation Home was asked to either ensure the juveniles’ physical presence at the schools or arrange for their online appearance.
This interim relief was provided considering the urgency of the matter, as their bail applications are currently reserved for orders.
Background of the Case
The juveniles are accused of murdering Shahabas, reportedly due to a dispute over a farewell function at their tuition centre. They allegedly planned the attack using Instagram and WhatsApp groups, and attacked Shahabas with nunchaku, resulting in a fatal skull fracture.
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They have been charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
- Section 103(1) – Murder
- Section 126(2) – Wrongful restraint
- Section 189 – Unlawful assembly
- Sections 191(2) & 191(3) – Rioting
- Section 118(2) – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt
- Section 190 – Other offences
The Juvenile Justice Board had earlier rejected their bail applications, and an FIR was registered at Thamarassery Police Station.
"Despite the nature of charges, educational rights of juveniles must be protected unless judicially restricted,"
— Kerala High Court Observed
The case titled Soorya Kiran v. State of Kerala continues to be closely monitored.
