Ajithkumar v. The State Of Tamilnadu

in Crl.A(MD)SR.No.83636 of 2025 N.MALA, J.

This petition has been filed to condone the delay of 330 days in filing the above criminal appeal against the judgement in Spl.C.C.No.20 of 2024, dated 14.11.2024 on the file of the learned I Additional Special Judge for EC and NDPS Act Cases, Madurai.

2.The petitioner was convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for four years and to pay a fine of Rs.1,00,000/- in default to undergo simple imprisonment for twelve years, for the offences under Section 8(c) r/w20(b) (ii) (C) of NDPS Act.

3.The petitioner in the affidavit filed in support of the condone delay petition stated that due to financial constraints, he was not able to file the criminal appeal in time and that the delay was neither wilful nor wanton. Therefore, the delay of 330 days in filing the above appeal may be condoned.

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4.The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the conviction has caused severe prejudice, irreparable loss and hardship to the petitioner and that due to financial constraints, the petitioner could not file the appeal in time. Hence, he prayed this Court to condone the delay of 330 days.

5.Heard both sides and perused the materials on record. 6.The Hon'ble Supreme Court, vide order dated 02.01.2025, in SLP.[Crl.].No.18045/2024, in the case of Mahesh Singh Banzara Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh, following its earlier judgment, in the case of Dilip S.Dahanukar Vs. Kotak Mahindra Co. Ltd [2007 [6] SCC 528], held that the right to appeal, particularly, when it concerns the liberty of the individual, is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and that the High Court, while dismissing the appeal solely on the ground of delay, was bound to examine the reasons for the delay. The Hon'ble Supreme Court, in the said case, condoned the delay of 1637 days in filing the appeal by accepting the similar reason of lack of monetary resources.

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7.The petitioner herein, has also stated that due to financial constraints, the petitioner was not able to file the appeal in time. 8.Being satisfied with the reasons stated in the affidavit and in the light of the aforesaid judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, this Court is inclined to condone the delay of 330 days, giving an opportunity to the petitioner to contest the statutory appeal on merits. 9.Accordingly, the delay of 330 days in filing the criminal appeal is condoned. The petition is ordered. Registry is directed to number the appeal, if it is otherwise in order and list the case for admission. 06.01.2026 sn 3/4

N.MALA, J., sn in Crl.A(MD)SR.No.83636 of 2025 06.01.2026 4/4