In Brief
An investigating officer was convicted of civil contempt for arresting a respondent on an additional charge (Section 307 IPC) after the respondent had been granted interim bail under Section 438 CrPC. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal and set aside the conviction, accepting the officer's unconditional apology. The Court held that the arrest did not violate the bail order because the charge was added based on a fresh investigation, the officer acted bona fide on superior instructions with a plausible understanding of the order's scope, and there was no wilful intent to defy the court. Apology was accepted as a valid defence in civil contempt proceedings.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.