A court’s endorsement on the charge sheet established timely filing, defeating the claim to default bail.

The five petitioners were arrested on 20 March 2026 in connection with a case alleging offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

They sought statutory default bail, contending that the charge sheet was filed on 20 June 2026, after the 90-day period, and that their application for default bail had been filed that day.

The State submitted that the charge sheet had been presented on 19 June 2026, relying on the Magistrate’s endorsement on it.

The petition challenged the Sessions Judge’s order dated 22 June 2026 rejecting the default-bail request.

1. Whether the charge sheet was filed after expiry of the 90-day period, entitling the petitioners to statutory default bail.

2. Whether the material relied on by the petitioners established that the charge sheet was filed on 20 June 2026, rather than on 19 June 2026.

The petitioners invoked the statutory right to default bail on the ground that the charge sheet had not been filed within 90 days of arrest.

The Court’s decision turned on the date the charge sheet was presented: it treated the Magistrate’s endorsement on the charge sheet as evidence of presentation on the date recorded there.

The Court accepted the Magistrate’s endorsement recording presentation of the charge sheet on 19 June 2026, noting that the petitioners did not dispute the signature on the document.

It also noted that the charge sheet itself was dated 8 June 2026, indicating that the investigation had concluded by then.

The Shristedar’s endorsement that a letter dated 18 June was received on 20 June did not, in the Court’s view, establish that the charge sheet itself was filed on 20 June.

On that basis, the Court rejected the petitioners’ claim that the charge sheet was filed outside the 90-day period.

It clarified that any regular bail application must be considered in accordance with law and without being influenced by the observations in this order, which expressed no view on the merits of bail.