MANOJ vs STATE OF M.P.

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of bail under Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the applicability of the proviso to Section 167(2) in the context of prolonged detention without charge. The Court held that the appellant was entitled to bail due to the failure of the prosecution to file a chargesheet within the stipulated time, despite the High Court of Madhya Pradesh's rejection based on the argument that the appellant was not in judicial custody. The Court emphasized that the legal principle of entitlement to bail under these circumstances must be upheld, leading to the granting of bail to the appellant.