PRE-ARREST BAIL

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a petition filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta challenging a Karnataka High Court order granting pre-arrest bail to a BJP MLA.
Procuring the release of a person from legal custody, by undertaking that he shall appear at the time and place designated and submit himself to the jurisdiction and judgment of the court.
Although bail has not been expressly defined in Indian statutes, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) differentiates between “bailable” and “non-bailable” offenses.

It also defines three kinds of bail that can be granted:

regular bail;
interim bail or short-term bail which is given when regular or anticipatory bail application is pending before the court; and
anticipatory or pre-arrest bail.
The provision for anticipatory bail was introduced after the 41st Law Commission Report in 1969 recommended the need for a measure that protects against arbitrary violation of one’s personal liberty.

When can anticipatory bail be granted?

Anticipatory bail can be granted when any person has reason to believe that he may be arrested on an accusation of having committed a non-bailable offence.
Non-bailable offenses are more serious offenses, punishable with at least three years imprisonment and above.

Granting authority:

It can be granted by the High Court or the Court of Session for non-bailable offenses.
However, since state legislatures are empowered to amend certain provisions of the CrPC, Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal follow their own, modified versions.
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand did away with anticipatory bail.

Conditions for granting anticipatory bail
The person shall make himself available for interrogation by a police officer as and when required.
The person cannot make any inducement, threat, or promise, directly or indirectly, to any person acquainted with the facts of the case to dissuade him from disclosing them to the court or the police.
The person shall not leave India without the previous permission of the court.
Such other conditions may be imposed.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB

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