In Brief
The wife of a murdered victim appealed against the Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to an accused charged with murder and offences under the UP Gangster Act. The accused was an alleged contract killer with 15 prior prosecutions for serious crimes, and had intimidated witnesses during trial. The Supreme Court held that High Courts must carefully scrutinize the criminal antecedents of history sheeters, the threat to witnesses, and impact on law and order before granting bail. The Court set aside the bail order, emphasizing that while personal liberty is important, courts must balance it against protecting witnesses and preventing miscarriage of justice, especially in organized crime cases.
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