Regular bail principles applied where investigation was complete, custody was long, and no specific role was attributed to the accused.

Regular bail was granted in a case alleging cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption because there was no specific role attributed to the petitioner, the charge-sheet had already been filed, custody had continued for more than one year and two months, and the trial was likely to be prolonged due to the number of accused and witnesses. The Court applied settled bail principles that pre-trial detention is not punitive, bail secures attendance at trial, economic offences do not by themselves justify refusal of bail, and the relevant concerns are flight risk, tampering with evidence, and the need for custodial interrogation. The petitioner was ordered to be released on bail and surety bonds subject to conditions.

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Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to regular bail in a case alleging cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption, having regard to the absence of a specific role, completion of investigation, filing of the charge-sheet, long custody and the settled principles governing grant of bail.

Analysis: The petition was considered under the power to grant regular bail. The allegations were examined in the light of the material on record, the nature of attribution against the petitioner, the fact that the charge-sheet had already been filed, the petitioner had remained in custody for more than one year and two months, and the trial was likely to take time because of the large number of accused and witnesses. The Court also applied the settled principles that bail is meant to secure attendance at trial, that pre-trial detention is not punitive, that economic offences do not by themselves justify refusal of bail, and that the relevant considerations are the possibility of flight, tampering with evidence, and the need for custodial interrogation.

Conclusion: The petitioner was held entitled to regular bail and was ordered to be released on furnishing bail and surety bonds and by complying with the imposed conditions.

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