New Delhi, Oct 9 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has shown dismay over the state of criminal trials in Maharashtra, revealing that numerous cases have been pending for the framing of charges for over a decade, some dating back to 2006.

“The Registrar General of the High Court of Judicature at Bombay has submitted an affidavit along with various documents that we have reviewed. It is a disturbing reflection of the alarming status of trial proceedings across different Courts in Maharashtra,” remarked a Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, acknowledging the affidavit from the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court.

The Bench noted that in spite of charge sheets being filed, trials in at least 649 cases throughout Maharashtra have failed to advance past the charge framing stage.

“The affidavit indicates that there are no less than 649 cases where charges remain to be framed, even after charge sheets were filed in certain instances as far back as 2006, 2013, 2014, and continuing up to 2020. The reasons for these delays are varied, but most notably, in nearly all trials, there are issues such as the non-production of accused individuals or the absence of legal representation, whether for the prosecution or the defense,” it stated.

Pointing out that a petitioner has been incarcerated for over four years without any charges being framed, despite the charge sheet being submitted in July 2021, the apex court remarked: “The petitioner has remained in jail for over four years since 11.04.2021, and his situation remains unchanged since his initial incarceration. Charges must be framed, and while the trial process will take its course, by the time a final verdict is reached, he could spend many more years behind bars.”

The Supreme Court has instructed the Registrar General of the High Court to procure detailed reports from each District and Sessions Judge concerning the actions taken to ensure the timely framing of charges and adherence to previous directives regarding the physical or virtual production of undertrial prisoners, depending on the trial stage.

The case is set to be reviewed again on October 17, with the Supreme Court demanding a comprehensive compliance affidavit. “The Registrar General is also to inform the Chief Justice of the High Court about this order,” it stated.