Jharkhand High Court Addresses Slow Criminal Trials Against MLAs

Court Examines Delays in Criminal Cases Against Jharkhand MLAs

The Jharkhand High Court heard a case concerning the swift execution of criminal cases against Jharkhand MLAs. The CBI presented a status report on 12 pending criminal cases involving Jharkhand MLAs, detailing the current situation. Notably, a judgment was issued in the Alka Tara scam case, resulting in a three-year sentence for former Bihar minister Ilyas Hussain. One case is currently in the final stages of trial, with the next hearing scheduled for July 9th.

The court addressed concerns that cases involving Jharkhand MLAs take an average of six years to complete due to the lengthy accusation process. The CBI was criticized for its lack of initiative in expediting the trials, and for its inability to quickly obtain witness testimony. In one instance, the CBI had to utilize video conferencing to allow a witness to testify due to fears of intimidation. This delay also impacts witness willingness to participate.