Rajasthan High Court Grants Bail to Shaitan Singh, Citing Gross Violation of Speedy Trial Rights
The Rajasthan High Court has granted bail to Shaitan Singh, an accused arrested in a case registered by the state police's Special Operations Group. The court's decision, delivered in an order passed on January 12 and uploaded on Tuesday, comes after Singh spent over six years in judicial custody since his arrest in September 2019.
Court Flags Prolonged Custody Without Trial Progress
Justice Anil Kumar Upman, presiding over the case, strongly criticized the prolonged custody without meaningful progress in the trial. The court held that an accused cannot be kept confined indefinitely as an undertrial, particularly when the prosecution demonstrates a lack of diligence in producing witnesses and advancing the case.
The right to a speedy trial is a core facet of personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution, the court emphasized. It stated that when the prosecution fails to proceed promptly, continued detention effectively becomes punishment before conviction, which is both unreasonable and unjustified.
Seriousness of Charges Cannot Justify Indefinite Incarceration
The court made it clear that the prosecution cannot rely solely on the seriousness of the charges to justify prolonged incarceration. Gravity alone cannot justify keeping an undertrial in custody for such extended periods without tangible progress in the trial, the judgment noted.
Describing the situation as "unfortunate and a matter of extreme concern", the court observed that such lengthy custody undermines the justice system and renders the presumption of innocence meaningless. It held that the petitioner's fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21 had been "grossly and inexcusably violated."
Court's Statutory Obligations and Defense Arguments
The judgment pointed out that the trial court failed to discharge its statutory obligations to ensure a timely judicial process. Even if the accused did not fully cooperate at certain stages, the court emphasized that this does not absolve the judicial system of its primary duty to facilitate a speedy and efficient trial.
Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the trial is being conducted before the Magistrate's Court, and even upon conviction, the maximum sentence would not exceed seven years. Singh has already spent approximately six years and four months in custody since September 20, 2019, making further detention particularly questionable.
The defense argued that the delay is solely attributable to the prosecution's inaction, and continued custody would serve no fruitful purpose. It was also submitted that co-accused individuals have already been granted bail by a coordinate bench of the High Court, with one co-accused receiving bail from the Supreme Court, strengthening the case for Singh's release.
This ruling highlights critical issues within India's judicial system regarding undertrial detention and reinforces the constitutional imperative of speedy trials as an essential component of justice and personal liberty.
