Section 77

This provision continues a long-standing rule (earlier Section 75 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973) meant to protect personal liberty. Arrest is a serious interference with a person's freedom, so the law requires transparency: a person should not be picked up without knowing why, and should be able to verify that the arrest is backed by a valid court order rather than being arbitrary or based on personal whim of the officer.

Indian courts, including the Supreme Court in cases like Joginder Kumar v. State of U.P. (1994) and later guidelines in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997), have emphasized that informing the arrested person of the grounds of arrest is a facet of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. While these cases dealt more broadly with arrest procedure, they reinforce that provisions like this one are not mere formalities but safeguards against illegal detention.

• Myth: Police don't need to explain anything if they have a warrant — they can just arrest you.
  Fact: Even with a warrant, the law requires police to tell the person the substance (main reason) of the warrant, and show it if requested.
• Myth: You can never see the actual warrant document.
  Fact: The person being arrested has the right to ask to see the warrant, and the officer must show it if so required.