Lekha G –
The Punjab and Haryana High Court in the Suo moto case for monitoring trials against sitting and former MPs and MLAs according to directions of Supreme Court remarked, “Undue delay in concluding an investigation is infringement to right to fair and expeditious investigation and trial which flows from Article 21 of the Constitution.”
The Bench comprising of Justices Rajan Gupta and Karamjit Singh further asked the probe agencies investigating these cases to inform the Court in case of inordinate delays in the pending investigations.
A total of 163 cases are pending against MPs/MLAs in the State of Punjab, of which 21 are under trial in State of Haryana. 15 out of 21 criminal cases are pending before Trial Court and 6 cases before Appellate Court. In addition to those, 3 such cases registered in State of Haryana have been transferred to CBI.
The CBI has further sough time to furnish relevant details regarding cases before Anti-Corruption Bureau, Special Crime Branch and Chandigarh.
The Court fixed the matter for further hearing on July 19.
