The Supreme Court on 22 June stayed an Allahabad High Court order that had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay ₹10 lakh as compensation to a man who was detained for more than three months following an arrest later found to be illegal.
A Bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva passed the interim order while hearing the State government's appeal against the compensation component of the High Court judgment.
Background of the Case
The dispute arose from the arrest of Manoj Kumar on January 27, 2026, in connection with a criminal case registered in Unnao in 2024. Kumar challenged his arrest through a habeas corpus petition, arguing that police had failed to provide him with written grounds of arrest.
The Allahabad High Court examined the arrest memo and found that it only mentioned the crime number without explaining the reasons for the arrest. Relying on recent Supreme Court rulings interpreting Article 22(1) of the Constitution, the High Court held that the omission violated mandatory legal safeguards.
The High Court subsequently declared the arrest and remand illegal and ordered Kumar's release.
Appearing for the State, counsel informed the Supreme Court that the government was not disputing the finding that written grounds of arrest had not been supplied.
“I am not shying away from the fact that grounds of arrest were not supplied. The only point I am canvassing is limited to the extent of the cost which is imposed. The concerned SHO was suspended by us,”
the State's counsel submitted.
The State argued that its challenge was confined to the amount of compensation awarded by the High Court.
After considering the submissions, the Supreme Court issued notice in the appeal and granted interim relief to the State.
The Bench observed,
“Issue notice. In the meanwhile, the impugned order in so far as it relates to imposition of cost of ₹10 lakh on the petitioner shall remain stayed till the next date of hearing.”
With this order, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court's direction requiring payment of ₹10 lakh compensation to Manoj Kumar, while the State's appeal remains pending for further consideration.
Case Details:
Case Title: State of U.P. and Others v. Manoj Kumar and Another
Case Number: Not Specified
Judge: Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva
Decision Date: June 22, 2026
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