Delhi High Court Orders Strict Compliance with Supreme Court Norms on Bail for Undertrials

The Delhi High Court has directed all district courts, prison authorities, and legal services bodies to strictly implement Supreme Court mandates regarding the release of first-time offenders in prolonged custody.

The Court emphasized compliance with Section 479 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which allows bail for those who have served one-third of their maximum possible sentence.

The order came while granting bail to the accused, who had spent over two years in jail for a seven-year offense. 

The Court also slammed the investigating agency for submitting a "misleading" status report and failing to explain why co-accused persons remained unarrested.

[Rishabh Gehlot v. State (NCT of Delhi)]