Supreme Court expresses disapproval of judicial officer for not releasing accused despite order granting bail

The Supreme Court in the case Gopal Verma v State of UP observed the recently deprecated act of a judicial officer on the release of the accused despite Court’s order of directing his release against whom FIR was registered u/s 498A, 304B of IPC and section 3/4 of Dowry Prohibition Act.

Since October, 2020 the appellant has been in custody and the bench had granted bail to the accused after being apprised of the fact that the charge of the accused was as under Sections 304B and 498A, Indian Penal Code, 1860

In December, 2021, the charge sheet was filed and as yet only one witness had been examined whereas the prosecution had cited 64 witnesses, the counsel argued before the Court.

the bench while considering criminal appeal assailing Allahabad High Court’s order of refusing to grant bail to the accused on 17.05.202, the bench granted bail to the appellant on terms and conditions to the satisfaction of the Trial court and upon hearing learned counsel for both the parties.

The bench comprising of Justice SK Kaul and the justice MM Sundresh while observing in their order said:

the appellant was not released and that should have been the matter of concern by the trial court as from December 2021, only one witness has been examined rather than what is sought to be raised ad the bench have no hesitation in adding those provisions to the order but don’t appreciate the conduct of the judicial officer whereby despite the orders of this Court.

on the pretext that while the order mentions the charges under Sections 304B and 498A, IPC it does not mention Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, The Judicial Officer refused to release the accused.

The bench further added that the bench has no hesitation in adding those provisions to the order but the conduct of the judicial officer won’t be appreciated despite the order of this courts the appellant was not released.

Further the court added that only one witness has been examined by the trial Court from December 2021 and that should have been the matter of concern rather than what is sought to be raised by the trial Court.

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