Ahmedabad : Gujarat The High Court on Thursday asked the courts of the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) to devise some “proper planning” to delay the examination and trial of prosecution witnesses, as some accused in various counterfeit currency cases are facing the slow pace of trial. Seeking regular bail citing
The High Court also said that the trial court should not give unnecessary opportunity to the accused to complain about the delay in trial.
In a case in which an accused is behind bars for the last five years, the NIA added the number of witnesses to its list for investigation, but after the HC’s observations that the proceedings should be expedited by the trial court, the prosecution downgraded the list. Limited to 34 witnesses. And assured the HC that their exams would be over within two months.
A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Niral Mehta posted the bail plea for hearing on February 24 and directed the NIA court to conduct the case on a day-to-day basis. “We do not want any excuse of any nature at the end of the trial court,” the court said.
For another bail plea in a case, which is pending before another NIA court, the judges said, “We expect the NIA court to have some plan. We are sure that with proper planning this problem of delay in testing can be fixed.” The HC further remarked, “Why unnecessary opportunity is given to those accused of serious offenses to complain about a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution?”
The High Court also said that the trial court should not give unnecessary opportunity to the accused to complain about the delay in trial.
In a case in which an accused is behind bars for the last five years, the NIA added the number of witnesses to its list for investigation, but after the HC’s observations that the proceedings should be expedited by the trial court, the prosecution downgraded the list. Limited to 34 witnesses. And assured the HC that their exams would be over within two months.
A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Niral Mehta posted the bail plea for hearing on February 24 and directed the NIA court to conduct the case on a day-to-day basis. “We do not want any excuse of any nature at the end of the trial court,” the court said.
For another bail plea in a case, which is pending before another NIA court, the judges said, “We expect the NIA court to have some plan. We are sure that with proper planning this problem of delay in testing can be fixed.” The HC further remarked, “Why unnecessary opportunity is given to those accused of serious offenses to complain about a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution?”
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