In Brief
The Court set aside a High Court order granting bail to Md. Shahabuddin, accused of conspiracy to murder a witness in an earlier criminal case. The accused had serious criminal antecedents and approximately 60 pending cases across various courts. Though he had spent about 11 years in judicial custody, the Court held that bail discretion must weigh the gravity of charges (particularly witness elimination), criminal history, and public interest against the length of detention. Individual liberty must be balanced with societal interest. The High Court had erred by not adequately considering these factors, granting bail primarily on the ground of trial delay.
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