Court outlines bail rules for grave crimes

NEW DELHI: In cases involving serious offences like murder, dacoity and rape, the nature of accusation and evidence against an accused be examined by courts before granting bail, the supreme court has said.

According to the apex court, bail should be granted by the sessions and high courts after examining the nature of accusation, severity of punishment in case of conviction and the nature of supporting evidence.

Before granting bail, the courts should evaluate if there is a reasonable apprehension of an accused tampering with the evidence or threatening the complainant.

A bench of justices Arijit Pasayat and CK Thakker re-emphasised on the parameters for granting bail to an accused while quashing the bail granted to an accused charged with carrying out “supari killing” of a person under Ashiyana police station of Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow district.

It was alleged that the accused had paid Rs10 lakh through a conduit to two persons for shooting down the victim Chandra Pal Singh on September 21, 2006.