Can a person be arrested without a warrant?

Yes, police have the power to arrest a person without a warrant in specific circumstances defined by law — most commonly, where a person is reasonably suspected of having committed a cognizable offence, or is found in possession of stolen property, among several other specifically listed situations.

Even for a warrantless arrest, the law requires the police to follow certain safeguards — informing the arrested person of the grounds for arrest, allowing them to inform a family member or friend, and producing them before a magistrate within a specified time (generally 24 hours, excluding travel time) — these procedural protections apply regardless of whether the arrest was made with or without a prior warrant.

An arrest made without following these required safeguards can potentially be challenged as illegal, and the arrested person may have remedies including a habeas corpus petition if the detention is genuinely unlawful. If you or someone you know has concerns about the legality of a specific arrest, it would be important to consult a criminal lawyer promptly to assess the circumstances.