Tanuja Singh v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

Form No. J(2)

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

CRIMINAL REVISIONAL JURISDICTION

Present:

The Hon'ble Justice Jay Sengupta C.R.R. 1233 of 2025 Tanuja Singh -vsThe State of West Bengal & others.

For the Petitioner : Mr. Manish Patra For The State : Mr. Suman De : Ms. Mausumi Sarkar Heard on : 20.08.2025 Judgment on : 20.08.2025 Jay Sengupta, J.:

This is an application seeking an expeditious disposal of a trial in ST Case No. 131 of 2016 presently pending before the learned Additional Sessions Judge, 5th Court, Howrah arising out of Golabari

P.S.

Case No.

dated 13.09.2013 under Sections 120B/326/307/506/34 of the Indian Penal Code and added Section 302 of the Penal Code.

Affidavit of service filed on behalf of the petitioner is taken on record.

Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner submits as follows. The petitioner is the wife of the victim deceased and the de facto complainant of the case. On 12.09.2013, the husband of the petitioner was set on fire by pouring kerosene oil over his body by the accused. On 13.09.2013, an FIR was lodged. On 07.12.2013, charge sheet was submitted. The case was committed to the Sessions in 2016. Charges were framed on 17.08.2018. Yet, till date only one witness has been examined out of a total of seventeen witnesses. The proceeding has remained pending for no fault of the present petitioner.

Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the State submits that the State would not come in the way if a direction is passed to expedite the proceeding.

No prejudice will be caused to anyone, if a direction is passed to expedite the proceeding.

It appears that there has been an inordinate delay in concluding the trial of this murder case. Although the FIR was lodged in 2013 and even charges were framed in 2018, till date only

one witness could be examined.

In such exceptional circumstances as referred to above and in the interest of justice, the learned trial Court is requested to conclude the trial in accordance with law and as expeditiously as possible by refusing to grant any unnecessary adjournment to any of the parties, fixing shorter dates and ensuring attendance of witnesses by taking appropriate measures, preferably within a period of eighteen months from the next date of hearing. With these observations and directions, the revisional application is disposed of.

Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be given to the parties upon compliance with requisite formalities. (Jay Sengupta, J.) ssi