BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court directed all trial courts to conduct trials on a day-to-day basis, by following Section 309 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Justice K Natarajan passed the order while dismissing the petition filed by Ansu from Gundlupet, seeking bail in a triple murder case.
One of the contentions of the counsel, representing the accused-petitioner, was that the petitioner has been in custody for more than three years, and the trial has not yet begun. The trial court is simply adjourning the matter and prosecution has not recorded evidence of the witnesses. A speedy trial is guaranteed under the Constitution. Therefore, there is a delay in trial and he is entitled to bail, he argued.
The court said it is observed in various cases that counsels for the accused are approaching the high court for grant of bail on the ground that there is a delay in conducting trial by the sessions court. It was observed by this court that most of the session judges are not conducting the trial in letter and spirit, by following the mandate of the Supreme Court and as per Section 309 of the CrPC.