IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Aslam Babalal Desai – Petitioner
State of Maharashtra – Respondent
Fact of the case
A complaint was lodged against the appellant and 8 others at Miraj City Police Station, District Sangli alleging commission of offences punishable under Sections 147, 148, 302 and 323 read with Section 149 IPC, in regard to an incident which took place at about 11 p.m. on 8th September, 1990. The appellant was arrested in that connection on the next day i.e. 9th September, 1990. The appellant thereafter made an application before the Sessions Judge, Sangli for being enlarged on bail That application was rejected. The appellant approached the High Court but later withdrew the application and then once again moved the Sessions Judge, Sangli for bail under the proviso to Section 167(2) of the Code on the ground that the investigation had not been completed within 90 days. The learned Sessions Judge by his order dated 11th March, 1991 directed the release of the appellant on bail. After the charge-sheet was submitted and the documents were tendered subsequent thereto, the State of Maharashtra moved an application under Section 439(2) of the Code in the High Court for cancellation of bail granted by the Sessions Judge. The High Court by the impugned Order dated 31st March, 1992 cancelled the bail. The High Court was of the view that since the learned Sessions Judge had granted bail on a technical ground, namely, failure to file the charge-sheet within the time allowed and since the investigation revealed the commission of a serious offence of murder, on the ratio of this Court’s decision in Rajnikant Jeevanlal Patel v. Intelligence Officer NCB, New Delhi it was open to the High Court to direct cancellation of the bail. On this line of reasoning the High Court cancelled the bail and directed the appellant to surrender to the bail. In obedience to that order the appellant has surrendered to his bail. These, in brief, are the facts which have a bearing on the question under consideration.
Issues involved
- Whether bail can be granted under 167(2) of CrPC for failure to complete the investigation within the period prescribed?
- whether such bail provided can be cancelled on the mere presentation of the challan (charge-sheet) at any time thereafter?
Legal provisions
- Section 167(2) CrPC
- Section 437 CrPC
- Section 439 CrPC
Legal Reasoning
Section 167(2) CrPC
(2) The Magistrate to whom an accused person is forwarded under this section may, whether he has or has not jurisdiction to try the case, from time to time, authorise the detention of the accused in such custody as such Magistrate thinks fit, for a term not exceeding fifteen days in the whole; and if he has no jurisdiction to try the case or commit it for trial, and considers further detention unnecessary, he may order the accused to be forwarded to a Magistrate having such jurisdiction: Provided that-
(a) 1 the Magistrate may authorise the detention of the accused person, otherwise than in the custody of the police, beyond the period of fifteen days; if he is satisfied that adequate grounds exist for doing so, but no Magistrate shall authorise the detention of the accused person in custody under this paragraph for a total period exceeding,-
(i) ninety days, where the investigation relates to an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term of not less than ten years;
(ii) sixty days, where the investigation relates to any other offence, and, on the expiry of the said period of ninety days, or sixty days, as the case may be, the accused person shall be released on bail if he is prepared to and does furnish bail, and every person released on bail under this sub- section shall be deemed to be so released under the provisions of Chapter XXXIII for the purposes of that Chapter;]
(b) no Magistrate shall authorise detention in any custody under this section unless the accused is produced before him;
(c) no Magistrate of the second class, not specially empowered in this behalf by the High Court, shall authorise detention in the custody of the police. 1 Explanation I.- For the avoidance of doubts, it is hereby declared that, notwithstanding the expiry of the period specified in paragraph (a), the accused shall be detained in custody so long as he does not furnish bail;]. 2 Explanation II.- If any question arises whether an accused person was produced before the Magistrate as required under paragraph (b), the production of the accused person may be proved by his signature on the order authorising detention.
Section 437 CrPC
1) When any person accused of, or suspected of, the commission of any non- bailable offence is arrested or detained without warrant by an officer in charge of a police station or appears or is brought before a Court other than the High Court or Court of Session, he may be released on bail, but-
(i) such person shall not be so released if there appear reasonable grounds for believing that he has been guilty of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life;
(ii) such person shall not be so released if such offence is a cognizable offence and he had been previously convicted of an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for seven years or more, or he had been previously convicted on two or more occasions of a non- bailable and cognizable offence: Provided that the Court may direct that a person referred to in clause (i) or clause (ii) be released on bail it such person is under the age of sixteen years or is a woman or is sick or infirm: Provided further that the Court may also direct that a person referred to in clause (ii) be released on bail if it is satisfied that It is just and proper so to do for any other special reason: Provided also that the mere fact that an accused person may be required for being identified by witnesses during investigation shall not be sufficient ground for refusing to grant bail if he is otherwise entitled to be released on bail and gives an undertaking that he shall comply with such directions as may be given by the Court.]
(2) If it appears to such officer or Court at any stage of the investigation, inquiry or trial, as the case may be, that there are not reasonable grounds for believing that the accused has committed a non- bailable offence, but that there are sufficient grounds for further inquiry into his 1 guilt the accused shall, subject to the provisions of section 446A and pending such inquiry, be released on bail] or at the discretion of such officer or Court, on the execution by him of a bond without sureties for his appearance as hereinafter provided.
(3) When a person accused or suspected of the commission of an offence punishable with imprisonment which may extend to seven years or more or of an offence under Chapter VI, Chapter XVI or Chapter XVII of the Indian Penal Code or abetment of, or conspiracy or attempt to commit, any such offence, is released on bail under sub- section (1), the Court may impose any condition which the Court considers necessary-
(a) in order to ensure that such person shall attend in accordance with the conditions of the bond executed under this Chapter, or
(b) in order to ensure that such person shall not commit an offence similar to the offence of which he is accused or of the commission of which he is suspected, or
(c) otherwise in the interests of justice.
(4) An officer or a Court releasing any person on bail under sub- section (1) or sub- section (2), shall record in writing his or its 1 reasons or special seasons] for so doing.
(5) Any Court which has released a person on bail under sub- section (1) or sub- section (2), may, if it considers it necessary to do so, direct that such person be arrested and commit him to custody.
(6) If, in any case triable by a Magistrate, the trial of a person accused of any non- bailable offence is not concluded within a period of sixty days from the first date fixed for taking evidence in the case, such person shall, if he is in custody during the whole of the said period, be released on bail to the satisfaction of the Magistrate, unless for reasons to be recorded in writing, the Magistrate otherwise directs.
(7) If, at any time after the conclusion of the trial of a person accused of a non- bailable offence and before judgment is delivered, the Court is of opinion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accused is not guilty of any such offence, it shall release the accused, if he is in custody, on the execution by him of a bond without sureties for his appearance to hear judgment delivered.
Section 439
(1) A High Court or Court of Session may direct-
(a) that any person accused of an offence and in custody be released on bail, and if the offence is of the nature specified in subsection (3) of section 437, may impose any condition which it considers necessary for the purposes mentioned in that sub- section;
(b) that any condition imposed by a Magistrate when releasing an person on bail be set aside or modified: Provided that the High Court or the Court of Session shall, before granting bail to a person who is accused of an offence which is triable exclusively by the Court of Session or which, though not so triable, is punishable with imprisonment for life, give notice of the application for bail to the Public Prosecutor unless it is, for reasons to be recorded in writing, of opinion that it is not practicable to give such notice.
(2) A High Court or Court of Session may direct that any person who has been released on bail under this Chapter be arrested and commit him to custody.
Judgement
Undoubtedly, by operation of the proviso to Section 167(2) of the Code, the accused is entitled to bail due to default by the investigating officer in completing the investigation and laying the charge-sheet within the prescribed period of 90/60 days and not on merits. The fiction of law under the proviso applying the provisions in Chapter XXXIII is to serve the purpose of law, namely not only the release of the accused on taking the requisite bond and conditions to be incorporated therein as envisaged in the said Chapter, but also the power of the court to cancel the bail and to take the accused into detention for the grounds mentioned under the relevant provisions in Sections 437(5) and 439(2) of the Code. The Legislature is aware of the pre-existing practice of not filing the charge-sheet within 15 days as envisaged under Sub-section (2) of Section 167 of the old code and the consequences as well. The doubtful procedure of seeking further detention on securing order of remand under Section 344 of the Old Code and Section 309 of the present Code was to be put to an end to, while preserving the power to the court to cancel the bail, if circumstances warrant to take the accused into custody. At the earliest this Court in Natabar Parida’s case also took note of the fact that even under Section 167(2) proviso, it might not be possible to complete the investigation into grave crimes within the outer limit of the time set out in the proviso. In the light of the statutory animation to have the accused released from detention on expiry of 90/60 days if the accused shall be prepared to and does furnish bail, the consequences are inevitable and the release is a statutory paradise to the criminals not by judicial fiat but legislative mandate.
Conclusion
The question raised in the case was the cancellation of bail which is granted under section 167(2) of CrPC.In this case the decision made by the sessions and the High court are purely based on the law and I don’t think there is anything necessary to amend in this law as well.
written by SHERIN MOIDU C intern under legal vidhiya
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