Mon Jan 06 17:36:31 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Clarifies Rules on Foreign Nationals Facing Criminal Charges in India
**New Delhi, January 7, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India ruled on Monday that foreign nationals facing criminal charges in India must be denied permission to leave the country until the case is resolved. The decision, delivered by a bench headed by Justice A.S. Oka, stemmed from a case involving a Nigerian national accused of narcotics offenses.
The court clarified that when granting bail to a foreign national, courts must immediately inform the relevant registration officer under the Registration of Foreigners Rules, 1992. This officer is then responsible for notifying relevant agencies, including civil authorities, of the bail order. The court cited the Foreigners Order of 1948, which empowers civil authorities to restrict the movement of foreign nationals.
To ensure nationwide implementation, the Supreme Court ordered that its ruling be forwarded to all High Courts, which will then disseminate it to lower criminal courts. The ruling addresses the question of whether foreign registration officers need to be included in bail applications filed by foreign nationals under the Foreigners Act of 1946.
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