India, March 12 -- At the Annual Law Lecture held at Manipal Law School, part of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Bengaluru, an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, former judge of the Supreme Court of India Justice Abhay S. Oka said that 'every person accused of a crime has the right to bail, and that keeping someone locked up before their trial is essentially punishing them for something not yet proven.'

Addressing the theme "Why Personal Liberty is Important in Bail Jurisprudence," Justice Oka stressed that personal liberty must remain central to bail decisions in India's criminal justice system. He warned that prolonged pre-trial detention is increasingly being used as a tool of arbitrary punishment.

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