The Supreme Court in Zeba Khan v. State Of U.P [2026 INSC 144], observed that every petitioner or applicant seeking bail must disclose all material particulars.
The particulars to be included in a bail application are criminal antecedents and the existence of any coercive processes such as issuance of non-bailable warrants, declaration as a proclaimed offender, or similar proceedings, duly supported by an affidavit, so as to promote uniformity, transparency and integrity in bail adjudication at different tiers of courts.
What Details a Bail Application Must Have
The Supreme Court directed that the bail applications should ordinarily contain the following material particulars:
(A) CASE DETAILS
- FIR Number & Date
- Police Station, District and State
- Sections invoked
- Maximum punishment prescribed
(B) CUSTODY & PROCEDURAL COMPLIANCE
- Date of Arrest
- Total period of custody undergone
(C) STATUS OF TRIAL
- Stage of proceedings (Investigation / Chargesheet / Cognizance / Framing of charges / Trial)
- Total number of witnesses cited in the chargesheet
- Number of prosecution witnesses examined
(D) CRIMINAL ANTECEDENTS
- FIR No. & Police Station
- Sections
- Status (Pending / Acquitted/ Convicted)
(E) PREVIOUS BAIL APPLICATIONS
- Court
- Case No.
- Outcome of case
(F) COERCIVE PROCESSES
- Whether any Non-Bailable Warrant was issued
- Whether declared a proclaimed offender
