सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने वैभव सिंह को जमानत दी, अनुच्छेद 21 के तेज़ परीक्षण अधिकार के उल्लंघन को कारण मानते हुए

<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Supreme Court — India’s apex judicial body that interprets the Constitution and has final authority on legal matters (GS2: Polity)">Supreme Court</span> intervened in a long‑running murder case, granting bail to the accused <strong>Vaibhav Singh</strong> after he had spent nearly nine years in jail as an <span class="key-term" data-definition="undertrial prisoner — a person detained while awaiting trial, not yet convicted (GS2: Polity)">undertrial prisoner</span>. The Court held that the prolonged detention breached the accused’s fundamental right to a <span class="key-term" data-definition="Article 21 — constitutional guarantee of the right to life and personal liberty, which the Supreme Court has interpreted to include the right to a speedy trial (GS2: Polity)">Article 21</span> right to a <span class="key-term" data-definition="speedy trial — principle that an accused must be tried within a reasonable time to prevent undue deprivation of liberty (GS2: Polity)">speedy trial</span>. </p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>The two‑judge bench (Justices <strong>J.B. Pardiwala</strong> and <strong>Ujjal Bhuyan</strong>) described the Allahabad High Court’s refusal to grant bail as “very shocking” and “very disappointing.”</li> <li>The Court criticised the High Court for misapplying the precedent in <em>X v State of Rajasthan 2024 INSC 909</em>, which the Supreme Court said was misunderstood.</li> <li>Bail was ordered immediately, subject to conditions that the trial court may impose, provided Singh is not required in any other pending case.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <ul> <li>Arrest date: <strong>7 March 2017</strong> for alleged offences under Sections <span class="key-term" data-definition="Indian Penal Code (IPC) — the main criminal code of India, enumerating offences and punishments (GS2: Polity)">147, 148, 149, 120‑B and 302</span> of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Indian Penal Code (IPC) — the main criminal code of India, enumerating offences and punishments (GS2: Polity)">IPC</span>.</li> <li>Custody duration: almost nine years as an <span class="key-term" data-definition="undertrial prisoner — a person detained while awaiting trial, not yet convicted (GS2: Polity)">undertrial prisoner</span>.</li> <li>The case is pending trial in the Sessions Court of Gorakhpur.</li> <li>The Supreme Court emphasized that the gravity of the alleged crime cannot justify indefinite detention when trial is unduly delayed.</li> </ul> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>1. <strong>Judicial Review & Constitutional Rights</strong>: The judgment underscores the role of the judiciary in safeguarding fundamental rights, especially the right to life and liberty under <span class="key-term" data-definition="Article 21 — constitutional guarantee of the right to life and personal liberty, which the Supreme Court has interpreted to include the right to a speedy trial (GS2: Polity)">Article 21</span>. Aspirants sho