The arresting officer must communicate the full details and grounds of the offence to the person being arrested, and — where relevant — inform them of their right to apply for bail.
- Grounds must be communicated in a way the person can actually understand, at the time of arrest.
This matches Article 22(1) of the Constitution — you can directly ask "why am I being arrested," and the officer is legally required to answer.
Related law
The constitutional twin of this right
Still wondering about...
What if the officer refuses to tell me?
Keep exploring
Arrest Without a Warrant
Arrest isn't automatic just because an offence is cognizable — the officer needs real grounds, and there's an extra procedural check for older or infirm people accused of minor offences.
Right to Have Someone Informed
This is your legal basis for insisting on "my one phone call" — it's a real right, not just something from the movies.
This is a plain-English summary, not verbatim statutory text. Adhikar is an independent citizen-awareness platform, not a Government of India website. Always verify against the bare Act (legislative.gov.in) or a qualified advocate before relying on this for an actual legal situation.