Ramachandra Kurup v. A.Nagalakshmi @ Kumari

Crl.M.P. No.17983 of 2022 in Crl.O.P. No.7553 of 2021 R.N.MANJULA, J., This petition has been filed seeking for extension of time already granted by virtue of an order of this Court dated 22.04.2021 made in Crl.O.P. No.7553 of 2021.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that while the time limit was fixed in the above said order, the case was pending before the Special Court for CBCID (CCB cases), Egmore, Chennai and now it stands transferred to Special Court for Trial of Land Grabbing Cases -II, Allikulam, Chennai. The grievance of the petitioner is that due to the time limit already fixed by this Court, the trial Court is not permitting the petitioner to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses and that the trial is being conducted on day-to-day basis.

3. The very object of fixing a time frame is to expedite and complete the trial as expeditiously as possible. The petitioner has got the right to cross-examine the witnesses and the said right would not be 1/4

denied to him. I can only understand the grievance of the petitioner that he was not given with much time as per his wish to cross-examine the witnesses.

4. The First Information Report in this case has been registered in the year 2011 and the case has not yet attained finality after a lapse of more than ten years.

5. The learned Government Advocate (Crl.side) submitted that in this case there are totally 49 witnesses and out of whom 29 witnesses have already been examined, 13 witnesses have been dispensed and three witnesses are yet to be examined.

6. When a time limit is fixed for a Court to complete the trial, it is for the Court to seek extension of time, if needed. But it is unnecessary for the petitioner to seek extension of time. Had the request was routed through the Court, it would have been convenient to know about the real status of the affairs during trial. However, taking into consideration of the nature of the case and it is pending for more than ten years, I feel it is 2/4

appropriate to extend the time shortly to complete the trial.

7. Accordingly, this Criminal Miscellaneous Petition is disposed and the time to complete the trial in C.C. No.95 of 2022 on the file of Special Court for Trial of Land Grabbing Cases-II, Allikulam, Chennai, is further extended to a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

13.12.2022 3/4

R.N.MANJULA, J., bkn Crl.M.P. No.17983 of 2022 in Crl.O.P. No.7553 of 2021 13.12.2022 4/4