HC initiates suo motu case over delay in acceptance of bail bonds

Delhi High Court addresses delays in bail bond acceptance by jail authorities, emphasizing the importance of immediate release.

The Delhi High Court has initiated a case on its own over delay in acceptance of bail bonds by jail authorities for releasing inmates, noting that the deprivation of liberty for a single day is “a day too many”.

The High Court passed the order after it came to know that a convict in a cheque bounce case was told the formalities involving acceptance of his bail bond for release on interim bail by the jail superintendent would take anywhere from one to two weeks.

The High Court said bail bonds are at times ordered to be directly furnished to the jail superintendent instead of the trial court concerned to facilitate immediate release, and in certain cases, interim bails are granted on medical grounds or other exigencies.

“In such a scenario, this court fails to understand why the period of one to two weeks be taken by the Jail Superintendent for accepting the bail bonds. The Supreme Court has time and again reiterated the principle — ‘deprivation of Liberty for a single day is a day too many..’,” the court said.

“The delay at the instance of the Jail Superintendent in accepting bail bonds is not acceptable to the conscience of this court. Let the matter be registered as suo motu petition and numbered,” the court ordered on February 19.

It asked the Director General of Prisons to submit “an appropriate affidavit” in the matter.

The additional standing counsel appearing for the authorities said the case of delay cited by the court was possibly an aberration and delay, normally, does not occur on the part of the jail superintendent.