This Article is From Sep 13, 2016

Courts Can't Be Rigid About Minor Bail Violations: Madras High Court

Courts Can't Be Rigid About Minor Bail Violations: Madras High Court

Madras HC said courts can't be rigid about minor bail violations, but upheld victim's right to appeal.

Madurai: Courts can't be expected to be rigid about negligible deviations when it comes to bail conditions, a bench of the Madras High Court said today.

Dismissing a petition seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail to two accused in a harassment case, Justice P Devadass said that there were no grounds for cancelling the bail just because the accused failed to turn-up for a scheduled meeting with a judicial magistrate.

"Victims of crime may keep an eye on the accused all the time, but they can't expect the courts to be rigid," he said.

The petitioner Jesintha Mary had claimed that bail for Selvaraj and Sebastiammal, who are accused of harassing her, be cancelled because they didn't appear for their meeting with a judicial magistrate as per their bail conditions.

The duo had claimed earlier that they were not available on the given day since they had to go to the hospital for treatment. They had further argued that Ms Mary had no locus standi to seek cancellation of their bail.

However on the question of locus standi, the judge said that the petitioner had every right to seek cancellation of the bail on grounds of violation of bail conditions.
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