In Brief
An elderly businessman (A-1) was arrested in June 2019 on charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery involving a port infrastructure project managed under a concession agreement. The High Court dismissed his bail application, but granted liberty to apply afresh if trial did not commence within six months. Six months elapsed without trial commencing. The Supreme Court allowed his bail appeal, holding that despite serious charges, protection of the state's interests through arbitral interim orders (escrow deposits, operational control, state supervision), the documentary nature of the case, and inordinate delay in trial commencement, entitled him to bail pending trial, subject to conditions including passport surrender."
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