Supreme Court Urges Swift Justice in Long-Pending UAPA Case

The Supreme Court has emphasized the need for a fair and speedy trial in a prolonged UAPA case. It directed a trial court to expedite proceedings, with over 100 witnesses involved. The verdict addressed appeals against a Karnataka High Court order granting and denying bail to accused individuals.

The Supreme Court has directed a trial court to expedite the proceedings in a long-delayed case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), stressing the importance of a fair and speedy trial. Hearing appeals against a Karnataka High Court order, a bench led by Justices Vikram Nath and K V Viswanathan mandated the trial court to complete the case within two years.

The appeals challenged the 2022 High Court decision that granted bail to one accused while denying bail to a co-accused. The initial FIR, filed in Bengaluru in January 2020, implicated 17 individuals in offenses under UAPA. Despite the passage of over five years, the trial is yet to begin. The Supreme Court observed that no individual should be allowed to languish in jail without due trial.

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's rationale, noting the material collected during the investigation justified the decisions on bail. It directed full cooperation from both prosecution and defense, stressing that any attempt by the accused to delay the trial could result in bail cancellation.

(With inputs from agencies.)