PREM SHANKAR SHUKLA vs DELHI ADMINISTRATION

The Supreme Court held that Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution guarantee human dignity and personal liberty, emphasizing that manacling an accused violates their personhood. The Court ruled that all prisoners, including under-trial prisoners, should not be subjected to handcuffing unless there is a credible apprehension of danger, thus rejecting any quasi-caste system among prisoners. The judgment overruled the Delhi High Court's decision in Vishwanath v. State, affirming the broader application of habeas corpus to address any cruelty or degradation in legal custody that contravenes constitutional rights.