Accused under any law must be given grounds of arrest in writing in his language: Supreme Court

Published on : 06 Nov 2025, 1:53 pm 4 min read

The Supreme Court on Thursday held that police and investigating agencies must provide written grounds of arrest to every arrested person as soon as possible, regardless of the offence or statute under which the arrest is made [ Mihir Rajesh Shah vs. State of Maharashtra & Anr. ].

A Bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih said the right to be informed of the grounds of arrest is a fundamental and mandatory safeguard under Article 22(1) of the Constitution and applies to all offences including those under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In certain exceptional situations when it is not possible to supply written grounds immediately, the ground should be conveyed orally to the accused.

Even in such ca