Mockery of justice: SC raps NIA for 4-year delay in trial

New Delhi, July 3

Noting that every accused has the right to speedy trial irrespective of seriousness of allegations against him, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday pulled up the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for opposing the bail plea of a man languishing in jail for four years under the UAPA-1967.

A Bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala granted bail to accused Javed Gulam Nabi Shaikh, who was arrested by the Mumbai Police on February 9, 2020. The police had claimed to have recovered counterfeit currency originating from Pakistan from his possession.

“Do not make a mockery of justice…You are the state, you are NIA… He (the accused) has the right to a speedy trial… He might have committed a serious offence, but you are under the obligation to start the trial,” the Bench said, pointing out that no charges had been framed despite the fact that the accused had been in jail for four years. The top court asked him not to leave Mumbai and be present before the NIA’s Bombay office after every 15 days.