The Jharkhand High Court sharply rebuked a Magistrate for ignoring Supreme Court directions on personal liberty and bail, calling his actions “unfortunate and unwarranted” The Jharkhand High Court sharply rebuked a Magistrate for ignoring Supreme Court directions on personal liberty and bail, calling his actions “unfortunate and unwarranted” . The case arose from a complaint-based matter where cognizance had been taken. Despite legal protections, the Magistrate denied bail, ordered custody in violation of the Satender Kumar Antil v. CBI (2022) precedent, and treated the defendant like someone evading arrest. After granting bail, the Sessions Court highlighted that the Magistrate acted contrary to Supreme Court guidelines .

Justice Ananda Sen expressed dismay that the Magistrate seemed unaware of key Supreme Court rulings on personal liberty—especially for offences in category A (where cognizance is already taken). The Court noted that in such situations, personal appearance should be avoidable and interim bail or lawyer appearance permitted .

To address this lapse, the High Court has directed the Jharkhand Judicial Academy to provide at least two days of post-work-hour training to the Magistrate, aiming to shore up awareness of Supreme Court principles governing bail and liberty .

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