NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed training for two district court judges—Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) and the Sessions Court Judge of Karkardooma Court—for a minimum of seven days at the Delhi Judicial Academy (DJA) over their flawed order granting bail to the accused in a `6 crore cheating case.
The SC criticised the two judicial officers of the Karkardooma Court for not applying settled principles when granting and upholding bail in the case. The two-judge bench, led by Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and SVN Bhatti, said bail decisions must be based on facts and conduct, rather than mechanical reasoning. Given the facts, it said, bail should not have been granted.
“We would be failing in our duty if we turned a blind eye to the manner in which the ACMM granted bail to the accused and the Sessions Judge refused to interfere. In the facts herein, we deem it appropriate that the Judicial Officers who passed the Orders dated 10.11.2023 and 16.08.2024 shall undergo special training for a period of at least seven days.
The Chief Justice, Delhi HC, is requested to make appropriate arrangements for such training at the Delhi Judicial Academy, with particular focus on sensitising the Judicial Officers on how to conduct judicial proceedings...,” said the SC.
The Supreme Court also stated that it would not overlook the actions of the investigating officers, whose conduct before the lower courts was notable. It directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to conduct a personal enquiry into the IOs and take action.