Section 35 BNSS| Arrest Must Be Justified Separately For Each Accused, Collective Reasons Illegal: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court ruled that criminal arrests must be supported by individualized and specific reasons for each accused, and that collective or generic grounds violate constitutional and procedural safeguards. The case arose from arrests made in connection with a deepfake advertisement FIR, where identical reasons were recorded for multiple accused. The Court observed that personal liberty is a fundamental right and that arrest is a serious intrusion which must meet strict standards of justification. It directed that arrest memos must clearly record distinct roles, factual allegations, and material evidence linked to each person. The ruling strengthens due process protections, enhances police accountability, and ensures that courts can effectively scrutinize the legality of arrests, thereby reducing arbitrary and mechanical deprivation of liberty.