Failure to communicate arrest grounds is a constitutional violation rendering the arrest illegal and entitling the applicant to bail.

O R D E R

This application is filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short, BNSS ), seeking regular bail.

2. The applicant is the accused in Crime No.957/2025 of Poojappura Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram District. The offences alleged are punishable under Sections 64 (1), 63(b), 64(2) (f), 65(1), 78 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 4 (2) read with Section 3 (b), Section 6 (1) read with Section 5 (p), Section 8 read with Section 7 , Section 10 read with Section 9 (p), Section 12 read with Section 11 (i) and (iv) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 .

3. The prosecution case, in short, is that the applicant, who is the stepfather of the victim, with an intention to commit aggravated penetrative sexual assault, on 08.07.2025 after 11:30 a.m. touched her thighs and private parts while she was staying at her house named ‘Kripa’. Further, the applicant made sexually coloured remarks, caught hold of her from behind in the kitchen of the house, forcefully removed her undergarment and inserted his finger into her private part, fondled her breasts and thereby committed the aforesaid offences.

4. I have heard Sri.Shajin S.Hameed, the learned counsel for the applicant and Sri.K.A.Noushad, the learned Senior Public Prosecutor. Notice has been served on the victim, but there is no appearance. Perused the case diary.

5. The learned counsel appearing for the applicant submitted that the requirement of informing the arrested person of the grounds of arrest is mandatory under Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India and Section 47 of the BNSS and inasmuch as the applicant was not furnished with the grounds of arrest, his arrest was illegal and is liable to be released on bail. On the other hand, the learned Public Prosecutor submitted that all legal formalities were complied with in accordance with Chapter V of the at the time of the arrest of the applicant. It is further submitted that the alleged incident occurred as part of the intentional criminal acts of the applicant and hence he is not entitled to bail at this stage.

6. The applicant was arrested on 08.07.2025 and since then he is in judicial custody.

7. Though prima facie there are materials on record to connect the applicant with the crime, since the applicant has raised a question of absence of communication of the grounds of his arrest, let me consider the same.

8. Chapter V of BNSS , 2023 deals with the arrest of persons. Sub-section (1) of Section 35 of lists cases when police may arrest a person without a warrant. Section 47 of clearly states that every police officer or other person arresting any person without a warrant shall forthwith communicate to him full particulars of the offence for which he is arrested or other grounds for such arrest. Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India provides that no person who is arrested shall be detained in custody without being informed, as soon as may be, of the grounds for such arrest. Thus, the requirement of informing the person arrested of the grounds of arrest is not a formality but a mandatory statutory and constitutional requirement. Noncompliance with Article 22(1) of the Constitution will be a violation of the fundamental right of the accused guaranteed by the said Article. It will also amount to a violation of the right to personal liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution.

9. The question whether failure to communicate written grounds of arrest would render the arrest illegal, necessitating the release of the accused, is no longer res int