Release accused on bail without surety bonds: High Court [Read Judgment]

In a significant judgment that will change the way prisoners are being let out following Covid outbreak, the Punjab & Haryana HC Mar,30 directed all subordinate courts in Punjab, Haryana & Chandigarh to release the accused on bail without enforcing the condition of surety bonds/bail bonds.

Justice Harnaresh Singh Gill also directed that all accused would be released from the jail only after complying with the administrative instructions issued in view of the outbreak, including maintaining social distance & preventing community transmission.

The directions through videoconferencing came on a petition filed by Ishu Gover through counsel Abhayjeet Singh. He was seeking issuance of appropriate directions to the subordinate judicial authorities & the local administration for better coordination & for working in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court & the High Court.

The Bench was told that Grover was granted regular bail in two cases, one of theft & the other snatching. But the orders were neither uploaded, nor copies provided to the petitioner. Abhayjeet Singh added that the petitioner had not been released till date due to “utter ignorance of the orders granting regular bail”. Justice Gill said: “I deem it appropriate to direct all subordinate courts to release the accused, who have already been granted bail either by this court or by the subordinate courts on bail on furnishing their personal bonds without enforcing the condition of surety bonds/bail bonds.”

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