What is anticipatory bail?
The Code of Criminal procedure 1973 provides the valuable right of Anticipatory Bail to a person who apprehends arrest in a non-bailable offence. This power to enlarge a person on anticipatory bail is vested only in High Court and Court of Sessions. After a person is enlarged on anticipatory bail in connection with an offence, if an officer in charge of police station arrests him, then he shall be immediately released on bail and shall not be subjected to unnecessary restraints.
The Court granting anticipatory bail may impose few conditions like to be present for interrogation before the investigation officer, not to induce or threat witnesses, not to leave the country without the permission of the court etc. The pendency of investigation is not a ground to refuse anticipatory bail. Even after the summons is issued to an accused person from the court, he can be enlarged on anticipatory bail, if the court thinks fit. The anticipatory bail granted will continue till the conclusion of trial or its cancellation.
It is not compulsory that the FIR should be registered against a person or that his name shall be there in the FIR to be eligible for applying for anticipatory bail. What is required is that there should be a reasonable apprehension of arrest by the person applying. It can be filed at a place where the accused apprehends arrest.