Anticipatory bail, when it can be granted, when anticipatory bail can be cancelled.

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CXJxX37_pVo/XwGJw5i8M6I/AAAAAAAAGlM/9xjI7VkwAGg05dyTBH0J2Mv7PrkYTlCVgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/anticipatory%2Bbail%2Bimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="745" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CXJxX37_pVo/XwGJw5i8M6I/AAAAAAAAGlM/9xjI7VkwAGg05dyTBH0J2Mv7PrkYTlCVgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/anticipatory%2Bbail%2Bimage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b><u><span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meaning :</span></u></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Black’s Law Dictionary (4th edition) describes ‘bail’ as procuring “the release of a person from legal custody, by undertaking that he shall appear at the time and place designated and submit himself to the jurisdiction and judgement of the court.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.1pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><u>What is anticipatory bail?</u></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.1pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">S. 438 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, lays down the law on anticipatory bail. Sub-section (1) of the provision reads: “When any person has reason to believe that he may be arrested on an accusation of having committed a non-bailable offence, he may apply to the High Court or the Court of Session for a direction under this section; and that Court may, if it thinks fit, direct that in the event of such arrest, he shall be released on bail.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">        </span>The provision empowers only the Sessions Court and High Court to grant anticipatory bail.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <h2 style="line-height: 20.1pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif";">Rationale behind anticipatory bail<o:p></o:p></span></u></h2> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Anticipatory bail became part of the new CrPC in 1973 (when the latter replaced the older Code of 1898), after the 41st Law Commission Report of 1969 recommended the inclusion of the provision.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The report said, “The necessity for granting anticipatory bail arises mainly because sometimes influential persons try to implicate their rivals in false cases for the purpose of disgracing them or for other purposes by getting them detained in jail for some days… Apart from false cases, where there are reasonable grounds for holding that a person accused of an offence is not likely to abscond, or otherwise misuse his liberty while on bail, there seems no justification to require him first to submit to custody, remain in prison for some days and then apply for bail.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the 1980 Gurbaksh Singh Sibbia vs State of Punjab case, a five-judge Supreme Court bench led by then Chief Justice Y V Chandrachud ruled that S. 438 (1) is to be interpreted in the light of Article 21 of the Constitution (protection of life and personal liberty).<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <h2 style="line-height: 20.1pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Conditions while granting anticipatory bail<o:p></o:p></span></u></h2> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">While granting anticipatory bail, the Sessions Court or High Court can impose the conditions laid down in sub-section (2).<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">S. 438(2) reads: “When the High Court or the Court of Session makes a direction under sub-section (1), it may include such conditions in such directions in the light of the facts of the particular case, as it may think fit, including —<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(i) a condition that the person shall make himself available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required;<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(ii) a condition that the person shall not, directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the Court or to any police officer;<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(iii) a condition that the person shall not leave India without the previous permission of the Court;<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="line-height: 23.45pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="color: #3e3e3e; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">(iv) such other condition as may be imposed under sub-section (3) of section 437, as if the bail were granted under that section.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 12.55pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"> <span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Sushila Aggarwal (2020) Case Judgment<o:p></o:p></span></h3> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">There is<strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> nothing in CrPC</span></strong> that indicates the grant of anticipatory Bail should be <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">time-bound.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 41.8pt; margin-right: 16.7pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">However, under CrPC, it is <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">discretionary power</span></strong> of the Court to <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">decide</span></strong> on a case-to-case basis (depending upon the <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">stage</span></strong> at which the Bail application has moved or prevalence of any <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">peculiar circumstances</span></strong> necessitating to limit the tenure) <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">and impose a time limit</span></strong> while <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">granting</span></strong> pre-arrest Bail.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 41.8pt; margin-right: 16.7pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Also, this duration primarily does <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">not end after first summoning</span></strong> by the Court and can continue till the end of the trial period.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If any Court wants to limit the Bail, it<strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> can attach special features or circumstances</span></strong> warranting the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 41.8pt; margin-right: 16.7pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Court while granting anticipatory Bail, should <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">examine the seriousness </span></strong>and<strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> gravity </span></strong>of the<strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> offence</span></strong> (like nature of the crime, material placed on records, etc.) to <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">impose any condition on the petitioner,</span></strong> if necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 41.8pt; margin-right: 16.7pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo1; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The police can reach the Court seeking permission for arrest <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">in case of breach of such imposed conditions.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Application</span></strong><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> for anticipatory Bail could be <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">filed</span></strong> by a person <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">before the FIR</span></strong> (First Information Report) as soon as the facts make clear there is a substantial reason for the arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Appellate jurisdiction</span></strong><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> to check the correctness of the granted Bail lies with the <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">superior Court</span></strong> on the request of the investigating agency or the State.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Court remarked that “when Parliament has not thought it appropriate to curtail the rights of the citizens and the power of Courts in granting anticipatory Bails, hence, it is <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">not in larger societal interest</span></strong> to curtail such powers & limit the liberty of citizens. The rights of the citizens are fundamental and not the restrictions.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 12.55pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"> <u><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">Cancellation of Anticipatory Bail<o:p></o:p></span></u></h3> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><strong><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sec. 437(5)</span></strong><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">& Sec. 439</span></strong> of CrPC deal with the cancellation of anticipatory Bail. They imply that a Court which has the power to grant anticipatory Bail is also <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">empowered to cancel the Bail or recall the order</span></strong> related to Bail upon appropriate consideration of facts.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 20.9pt; margin-right: 8.35pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">  </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A High Court or Court of Session may direct that any person who has been released on Bail by it- be arrested, and brought under custody after filing of an application by the complainant or the prosecution.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; margin-left: 41.8pt; margin-right: 16.7pt; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">However, a Court does<strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> not have the power</span></strong> to cancel the <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Bail granted by the police officer.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 16.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"> <span style="color: #474747; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Over the years, anticipatory Bail has acted as the protection (granted under <strong><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sec. 438</span></strong> of CrPC) to safeguard a person against whom false accusation or charges have been made. It ensures the release of such falsely accused person even before they are arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <br /></div>

Anticipatory bail, when it can be granted, when anticipatory bail can be cancelled.

Meaning : Black’s Law Dictionary (4th edition) describes ‘bail’ as procuring “the release of a person from legal custody, by undertak...

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