'Shocking': Supreme Court Slams Allahabad High Court for Denying Bail to Undertrial in Custody for 9 Years

The Supreme Court has granted bail to a murder accused who languished in jail for nearly nine years as an undertrial, terming the Allahabad High Court’s refusal to release him as “very shocking.”

The bench held that the High Court failed to protect the petitioner’s fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21.

The Court observed that the gravity of an offence cannot justify indefinite detention when a trial is unduly delayed.

Criticising the High Court for misconstruing legal precedents to deny relief, the bench granted bail immediately, noting that the infringement of constitutional rights was apparent on the record.

[Vaibhav Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh]