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Judgment
Hemant Chandangoudar, J
The petitioners, who were arrested in Crime No.164/2024 registered by the Commercial Street Police Station, Bengaluru, for the offence punishable under Section 20B of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 are before this Court.
The petitioners were arrested in connection with the said crime on 24-10-2024.
Petitioners' primary contention is that, the arrest is vitiated for violation of Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India, as no grounds of arrest were served on the petitioners at the time of arrest.
The learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent - State has placed on record the intimation of arrest.
A perusal of the same indicates that no grounds are disclosed for arresting the petitioners.
The Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Vihaan Kumar -vs-The State of Haryana & Another, reported in (2025) 2 SCR 424 has reiterated that the requirement of informing the person arrested of the grounds of arrest is not a mere formality, but a mandatory constitutional requirement. Article 22 is included in Part III of the Constitution under the heading of fundamental rights. Thus, it is the fundamental right of every person - who is arrested and detained in custody, to be informed of the grounds of arrest as soon as possible. If the grounds of arrest are not informed as soon as may be after the arrest, it would amount to a violation of the fundamental right of the arrestee as guaranteed under Article 22(1). It will also amount to depriving the arrestee of his liberty, to effectively challenge the arrest. Article 21 of the Constitution states that no person can be deprived of his liberty, except in accordance with the procedure established by law.
In the light of the decision of the Apex Court in the aforesaid case, the arrest of the petitioners stand vitiated for violation of Article 22 (1) of the Constitution of India and in such circumstances, the petitioners are entitled to be released from judicial custody.
Accordingly, this petition is allowed.
The 3rd respondent- Chief Superintendent of Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru, is hereby directed to release the petitioners forthwith from judicial custody in Special CC No.707/2025, on the file of XXXIII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge (NDPS Special Court) Bengaluru City, arising out of Crime No.164/2024 registered by the Commercial Street Police Station, subject to the following conditions:
i) The petitioners-accused shall execute a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000/- each with two sureties for the like sum of which, one will be the Local Surety to the satisfaction of the Trial Court within a period of two weeks from the date of his release;
ii) The petitioners shall not directly or indirectly threaten or tamper with the prosecution witnesses;
iii) The petitioners shall appear before the Trial Court as and when summoned;
vii) The Registry is directed to communicate this order to the Jail Authorities concerned forthwith without any delay through e-mail and telephonically.
(viii) Liberty is reserved to the petitioners to file a petition afresh challenging the chargesheet.