Release on ground of illness
Full Text
(1) At any time after a warrant for the arrest of a judgment-debtor has been issued the Court may cancel it on the ground of his serious illness.
(2) Where a judgment-debtor has been arrested, the Court may release him if, in its opinion, he is not in a fit state of health to be detained in the civil prison.
(3) Where a judgment-debtor has been committed to the civil prison, he may be released therefrom—
(a) by the State Government, on the ground of the existence of any infectious or contagious disease, or
(b) by the committing Court, or any Court to which that Court is subordinate, on the ground of his suffering from any serious illness.
(4) A judgment-debtor released under this section may be re-arrested, but the period of his detention in civil prison shall not in the aggregate exceed that prescribed by section 58.
Plain English Summary
Section 59 provides humanitarian relief authorizing the cancellation of arrest warrants or release of judgment-debtors on grounds of serious illness or infectious diseases at pre-arrest, post-arrest, or post-committal stages. Unlike Section 58 releases, a debtor released on medical grounds may be re-arrested once recovered, subject to the aggregate detention cap under Section 58.
Key Legal Elements
- Three Stages of Health Relief: Warrant cancellation (Sec 59(1)), release post-arrest prior to committal (Sec 59(2)), and release from civil prison (Sec 59(3)).
- Dual Jurisdiction on Prison Release: State Government may release for infectious/contagious disease; committing or superior court may release for serious illness.
- Re-Arrest Permissible: Unlike Section 58, release under Section 59 does not confer final immunity against arrest upon recovery.
- Strict Aggregate Detention Ceiling: The cumulative detention periods across multiple arrests cannot exceed the maximum limits of Section 58 (3 months or 6 weeks).
Punishment
Detention in civil prison subject to aggregate limit under Section 58 (release on serious illness or infectious disease; re-arrest permitted).
Practical Note
Medical Relief Dynamics, Re-Arrest Protocol & Section 58 Aggregate Cap: (1) Three-Tiered Medical Safeguard: Advocates can invoke Section 59 at three distinct junctures—prior to arrest (recalling/staying the warrant), upon arrest before the executing court, or after committal to civil jail through medical board certification. (2) Re-Arrest Distinction: A crucial distinction between Section 58 and Section 59 is that medical release under Section 59 does NOT bar re-arrest; once the judgment-debtor regains health, the decree-holder may apply for a fresh arrest warrant. (3) Cumulative Cap: Under sub-section (4), all past days spent in civil prison must be credited toward the maximum statutory ceiling (3 months or 6 weeks), ensuring that re-arrest never exceeds the aggregate limit.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) निर्णीत-ऋणी की गिरफ्तारी के लिए वारंट जारी किए जाने के पश्चात् किसी भी समय न्यायालय उसकी गंभीर बीमारी के आधार पर उसे रद्द कर सकेगा।
(2) जहां निर्णीत-ऋणी गिरफ्तार किया जा चुका है, वहां यदि न्यायालय की राय में वह स्वास्थ्य की ऐसी दशा में नहीं है कि उसे सिविल कारागार में निरुद्ध रखा जाए, तो न्यायालय उसे छोड़ सकेगा।
(3) जहां निर्णीत-ऋणी सिविल कारागार में सुपुर्द किया जा चुका है, वहां वह उसमें से निम्नलिखित द्वारा छोड़ा जा सकेगा—
(क) किसी संक्रामक या सांसर्गिक रोग के होने के आधार पर राज्य सरकार द्वारा, अथवा
(ख) उसके किसी गंभीर बीमारी से पीड़ित होने के आधार पर सुपुर्द करने वाले न्यायालय द्वारा अथवा ऐसे किसी न्यायालय द्वारा जिसके अधीनस्थ वह न्यायालय है।
(4) इस धारा के अधीन छोड़ा गया निर्णीत-ऋणी पुनः गिरफ्तार किया जा सकेगा, किंतु सिविल कारागार में उसके निरोध की कुल अवधि धारा 58 द्वारा विहित अवधि से अधिक नहीं होगी।