Kerala High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Lawyer And Congress Leader Laly Vincent In CSR Scam Case

Ananthu Krishnan is the prime accused in the scam, who transferred ₹47,74,500 to Vincent's bank account over a period of four years.

Seeking bail, Vincent claimed that the amount was paid in exchange for her giving legal advice to Krishnan.

Justice PV Kunhikrishnan while granting her relief orally remarked, “when a lawyer says that it is my professional fees, can I say that it is not professional fees."

The allegation is that Krishnan cheated a number of persons in the State by collecting money after promising to provide two wheelers, home appliances, laptops etc. at 50% of the price. The fraud was allegedly carried out under the name of National NGO Confederation and people were made to believe that products would be given at a subsidized price by securing the remaining funds through CSR contributions from companies.

Vincent has been booked under Sections 316 (2), 318(4) of the BNS at Kannur Town South Police Station. She argued that she was doing her professional duties and criminal offences cannot be alleged against her simply because she accepted professional fee from the main accused.

The Court has directed her to appear before the investigating officer within two weeks for investigation of the case. It further said,

“It cannot be said that the Petitioner is involved in allegation raised by prosecution. But I will leave it there. It is a matter to be investigated by the investigating officer. As on today, the allegation is that an amount of Rs 47,74,500 is credited to the account of the Petitioner. The Petitioner has got a different case that it is professional fee. In such circumstances, as on today, I am not in a position to conclude that Petitioner has any involvement in this case at this stage, but I make it clear that investigating officer is free to investigate in accordance with law. I make such an observation only for the purpose of deciding the bail application and the that investigating officer is free to investigate the matter untrammelled by any observations. Allowed”

Furthermore, the Court stated that numerous bail applications were filed before it by various persons who were accused in the CSR scam cases registered across different districts of the State. The Court stated that it will pass a common order directing such persons to surrender before the investigating officer within two weeks for interrogation. It stated that the investigating officer after interrogation can record arrest only if necessary, and stated that such persons will also have to be produced before the Magistrate Court on the same day itself. The Court however made it clear that this would not be applicable to the main accused in the CSR scam case.

The Court made it clear that the Apex Court guidelines in Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar (2014) will have to be strictly complied with. 

Case Title: Laly Vincent v State of Kerala

Case No: Bail Appl. 1789/2025