The Supreme Court expressed serious concern over prolonged delays in criminal trials in Maharashtra, highlighting violations of the fundamental right to a speedy trial under Article 21. The Court noted that hundreds of accused persons have remained behind bars for years without charges being framed, calling the situation “shocking” and stressing the need for immediate corrective measures.
The matter arose after a petitioner highlighted that despite the filing of a challan in his case in 2021, the trial court had not yet framed charges, leaving him incarcerated for over four years without trial progress. The petitioner contended that such delay was a clear infringement of his right to a speedy trial, while the State’s affidavit failed to provide reasons for the inordinate delay or any order for further investigation.
During the hearing, the Court reviewed the affidavit filed by the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court and found that at least 649 cases across Maharashtra had pending charges, some dating back to 2006. The reasons cited for delays included non-production of accused persons or the absence of advocates for either side. The Bench emphasized that the High Court’s earlier circulars mandating physical or virtual production of undertrials must be fully complied with and that lapses in both judicial and administrative processes could no longer be tolerated.
The Court directed the Registrar General to collect comprehensive data from all District and Sessions Courts regarding the steps taken to ensure timely framing of charges. This includes verifying whether delays were due to non-cooperation of accused persons, examining prosecutorial lapses, and ensuring compliance with Supreme Court and High Court directions in previous monitoring cases such as Hussain & Anr. v. Union of India and Siddhant @ Sidharth Balu Taktode v. State of Maharashtra. The Registrar General is also required to apprise the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court about the progress of these measures.
The Apex Court observed that the right to a speedy trial is a vital facet of Article 21 and warned that prolonged pre-trial incarceration undermines the very foundation of justice. The matter is listed for further orders on October 17, 2025, with the Court stressing the urgent need for judicial efficiency and administrative accountability in Maharashtra.
Case Title: Shubham Ganpati @ Ganesh Rathod vs. The State of Maharashtra
Case No.: Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No.7964/2025
Coram: Justice Sanjay Karol, Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh
Advocate for Petitioner: Adv. Anand Dilip Landge (AOR), Sangeeta Nenwani, Revati Pravin Kharde, Shreenivas Patil, Rahul Prakash Pathak
Advocate for Respondent: Adv. Prashant Shrikant Kenjale (AOR), B Dhananjay, Damini Vishwakarma, Srishty Pandey, Shrirang B. Varma, Siddharth Dharmadhikari, Aaditya Aniruddha Pande (AOR)
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