Supreme Court Grants Bail in Landmark UAPA Case, Emphasizes 'Bail is the Rule'

The Supreme Court granted bail to Jalaluddin Khan, highlighting that 'bail is the rule and jail is the exception' even under stringent laws like the UAPA. The court found no substantial evidence linking Khan to terrorist activities, emphasizing the duty to grant bail when legal conditions are met.

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Jalaluddin Khan, who was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged affiliations with the banned organization Popular Front of India (PFI). The apex court upheld that 'bail is the rule and jail is the exception', even under stringent statutes like the UAPA.

A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih allowed Khan's appeal against a Patna High Court decision that had denied him bail. The court concluded that the charge sheet did not provide reasonable grounds to believe the accusations against Khan were prima facie true.

The judgment emphasized that even serious allegations must be scrutinized under the law when considering bail. It highlighted that PFI is not listed as a terrorist organization and criticized lower courts for not objectively considering the charge sheet's material. 'If courts start denying bail in deserving cases, it will violate the rights guaranteed under Article 21 of our Constitution,' the court added.

(With inputs from agencies.)