Bombay High Court
PRAMILA RAMLAKHAN GUPTA W/O RAMLAKHAN GUPTAversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS
- Decided
- Disposal
- Disposed Off
Holding
The High Court directed the Additional Sessions Judge to decide the case within six months, thereby disposing of the petition.
Summary
The petitioner filed a criminal writ petition seeking directions for the trial court to conclude a sessions case that originated from an FIR lodged in April 2015, noting that more than eleven years had elapsed and only two witnesses had been examined. The petition specifically prayed for an urgent disposition of the trial. The High Court observed that the delay was unreasonable and that the request for expeditious trial was reasonable. Consequently, the Court directed the Additional Sessions Judge, Kalyan, to expedite the hearing of Sessions Case No.46 of 2017 and to render a decision within six months from the date of the order. With this direction, the petition was disposed.
Issues considered
- Whether the High Court can direct the Sessions Court to conclude the trial within a specified period due to inordinate delay
Subjects
- Criminal Procedure Code
- Speedy trial
- Delay in trial
- Writ petition
- Expeditious trial
Judgment
Gokhale 1 of 2 21-wp-3730-26
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 3730 OF 2026
Pramila Ramlakhan Gupta ..Petitioner
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Ors. ..Respondents
__________
Mr. Ashwin Singh for Petitioner.
Ms. Supriya Kak, APP for State/Respondent.
__________
CORAM : SARANG V. KOTWAL &
RANJITSINHA RAJA BHONSALE, JJ.
DATE : 3 SEPTEMBER 2026
PC :
1. Though there are many prayers in the petition, learned
counsel for the Petitioner pressed only the prayer clause (c) which
is for directions to the trial Court to conclude the trial urgently.
2. The FIR was lodged in April 2015. More than eleven
years have passed. Therefore, the prayer for directions to the Trial
Court to expeditiously decide the sessions case is quite reasonable.
We are informed that, only two witnesses are examined so far.
3. Hence, the following order:
Digitally
signed by
VINOD
VINOD BHASKAR
BHASKAR GOKHALE
GOKHALE Date:
2026.09.07
11:25:26
+0530
2 of 2 21-wp-3730-26
ORDER
i) The learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kalyan
shall expedite the hearing of the Sessions Case
No.46 of 2017 and shall decide it within six
months from today.
ii) With this direction, the petition is disposed of.
(RANJITSINHA RAJA BHONSALE, J.) (SARANG V. KOTWAL, J.)
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