Supreme Court of India · 2020-02-10
PRATHVI RAJ CHAUHAN vs UNION OF INDIA
- Citation / case number
- SC 2018/31176
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Petitioner
- PRATHVI RAJ CHAUHAN
- Respondent
- UNION OF INDIA
- Author
- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN MISHRA
- Bench
- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN MISHRA, HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINEET SARAN, HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. RAVINDRA BHAT
Judgment text excerpt
The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of Section 18A of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which nullifies the directions given in Dr. Subhash Kashinath Mahajan v. The State of Maharashtra, (2018) 6 SCC 454, regarding anticipatory bail and preliminary inquiries. The Court held that the provisions of Section 18A are arbitrary and violate Article 21 of the Constitution, emphasizing the necessity of safeguards against misuse of the Act. Consequently, the Court struck down Section 18A, reaffirming the right to anticipatory bail under Section 438 Cr.PC.