In Brief
The State of Maharashtra challenged a High Court order granting bail to an accused in a serious organized crime case under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). The accused had first been denied bail by the Special Judge, then withdrew his bail application before the Single Judge, and subsequently filed a writ petition challenging the MCOCA provisions. The Division Bench granted bail as interim relief. The Supreme Court held that the High Court erred in granting bail through a writ petition after rejecting it through the proper bail procedure. The Court deprecated forum shopping and found that the interim relief effectively amounted to a final acquittal. The judgment was quashed and set aside, directing the accused to surrender and face trial.
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