Framing of Charges Delayed for 4+ Years: Supreme Court’s Strong Directives to Trial Courts
This Supreme Court judgment addresses the issue of inordinate delay in framing charges, holding that such delays, even without a statutory timeline under Cr.P.C., violate the right to a speedy trial under Article 21. The Court emphasized that systemic inefficiencies or accused non-cooperation do not justify indefinite postponement of this crucial stage.
Facts Of The Case:
The case originates from an incident on April 10, 2021, where the appellant, Shubham Ganpati @ Ganesh Rathod, along with other co-accused, allegedly assaulted the victim, Akash @ Bala Shivaji Sargar, with deadly weapons including a sickle and knife. The prosecution's case, based on the complainant who claimed to be an eyewitness, stated that the appellant specifically struck the deceased on his head with a sickle. The...