With criminal appeals piling up in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the Supreme Court has stepped in to address a convict’s concerns over prolonged delays. The case revolves around a man sentenced to five years of imprisonment for charges including cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
The convict, who had already served eight months behind bars, faced a bleak prospect: his appeal, filed earlier this year, was unlikely to be heard anytime soon due to the High Court’s overwhelming backlog. The apex court noted this alarming pendency and suspended the sentence, ensuring that justice wouldn’t be thwarted by procedural delays.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sandeep Mehta highlighted the potential risk of the convict’s appeal becoming moot due to excessive delays. They criticized the High Court’s refusal to schedule a hearing or reconsider suspending the sentence, calling this approach unnecessarily burdensome and procedurally unsound.
The Supreme Court’s order doesn’t absolve the appellant of responsibility. He has been instructed to actively push for his appeal’s progress in the High Court. Non-compliance could lead to his bail being revoked, placing the onus on him to ensure that the case remains on track.
This decision shines a light on the growing issue of delayed justice in higher courts, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms to prevent similar cases of prolonged legal limbo.
