In Brief
A husband was accused of bigamy and related offences (cruelty, harassment, fraud, threats) under the Indian Penal Code after allegedly marrying a second wife during his subsistence marriage. The High Court denied his anticipatory bail application. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding the High Court's rejection unjustified. The Court noted that the key substantiating petition under the Hindu Marriage Act had been withdrawn (a material fact ignored by the High Court), the wife was living with the appellant's mother, and he had no prior criminal record. These circumstances warranted grant of anticipatory bail."
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