Delayed Investigation, Filing Of Chargesheet In Heinous Crimes, Doesn’t Reflect Good On Investigating Agency: Calcutta HC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance

What Was The Case

• The Calcutta High Court took suo moto cognizance regarding Delayed Investigation in Criminal Cases on Wednesday.
• There had been 999 cases where the chargesheet had not been filed within the stipulated time frame.
• Some of the cases were as old as 10 years.
• The matter was being heard by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Bannerjee.

Background

• Information received from the Criminal Investigation Department of the State of West Bengal was placed before the Acting Chief Justice.
• The matter was to be taken up as a PIL.
• The Court reinstated that the only reasons which excuse non filing of chargesheet on time are pendency of the investigation, sanction for prosecution, arrest of the accused, non-receipt of lab reports, and collection of relevant documents.

What Did The Court Say

• The Court asked Advocate General Kishore Dutta to inform the Court as to whether other cases regarding delayed filing of chargesheet were present.
• Moreover, the Court directed that it was to be notified about the infrastructure of laboratories so that reporting is not delayed due to the testing facilities.
• Additionally, the reasons for the non filing of the chargesheet has to be placed before the Court.
• The next hearing on this issue is scheduled to be on June 28.

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