The Supreme Court on Wednesday reprimanded Uttar Pradesh jail authorities for a significant delay in releasing an accused who had been granted bail by the apex court on April 29. The accused, involved in a case under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, was released from Ghaziabad district jail only on June 24, almost two months after the bail order. The bench, comprising Justices K.V. Viswanathan and N. Kotiswar Singh, directed the state government to pay Rs 5 lakh as ad hoc compensation to the accused. The court also questioned the Director General of Prisons of Uttar Pradesh during a video conference about steps taken to sensitize jail officers on respecting the fundamental right to liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court highlighted the importance of liberty, calling it a “very valuable and precious right” and expressed serious concern over the delay, especially after the trial court in Ghaziabad had issued a release order on May 27. Despite this, the accused was kept in custody for weeks. Counsel for Uttar Pradesh informed the court that the accused was recently released and that an inquiry has been ordered to identify the cause of the delay. The court directed the principal district and sessions judge of Ghaziabad to conduct the inquiry and submit a report to the Supreme Court.

The case drew attention when the accused alleged that his release was stalled because a certain sub-section of the anti-conversion law was not mentioned in the bail order. The Supreme Court rejected this reasoning, emphasizing that technicalities must not obstruct fundamental rights. This incident underscores the need for improved training and awareness among prison authorities to prevent violations of constitutional liberties and ensure timely compliance with court directives.