Can't Entertain Petitions To Fast Track Hearings In High Courts : Supreme Court
Amisha Shrivastava
7 Aug 2024 4:41 AM GMT
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 6) orally expressed that it cannot entertain petitions seeking fast-tracking of hearings in High Court.
Justice Abhay Oka cited the experience he faced as a judge of the High Court while saying that the Supreme Court should not be passing orders to the High Court for time-bound disposal of matters. Justice Oka opined that the High Courts have huge case backlogs and a Supreme Court direction to expedite one particular case could cause disruptions.
A bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih was hearing a plea against a Delhi High Court order adjourning a bail plea by Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramachandran Pillai, who is accused in a money laundering case related to the Delhi Liquor Policy case.
Pillai sought directions from the Supreme Court to expedite the disposal of his bail plea by the Delhi High Court.
“On that day there are fifty anticipatory bail matters. How can we issue such a direction? I will tell you I was sufferer of several orders of the Supreme Court. I couldn't hear and decide on the same day, in Bombay High Court”, Justice Oka shared.
Justice Oka pointed out that the matter has been listed by the High Court on August 13, 2024. “Why are you here? The High Court has listed the matter”, he said.
Advocate Zoheb Hossain for ED submitted that the adjournment was sought after taking consent of the petitioner as he was sick.
“This order we cannot interfere. How can such petitions be filed in the Supreme Court we don't know. We cannot entertain a single such petition”, Justice Oka said, citing the constitution bench judgement holding that ordinarily, High Courts and Supreme Court should refrain from fixing time-bound schedules for case disposal in other courts.
The advocate for the petitioner submitted that there were five adjournments, and the matter has been pending for 306 days since October 3, 2023, and there is just one judge to hear MP/MLA matters. However, after the court's refusal to entertain, he ultimately withdrew the petition.
According to the ED, Pillai was a part of 'south group' consisting of a group of leaders from the south India that allegedly sent kickbacks worth Rs. 100 crores to the Aam Admi Party leaders accused in the case. It is also alleged that Pillai provided illegal gratification to public servants to secure liquor licenses in Delhi. He was arrested in March 2023.
Case no. – SLP(Crl.) No. 10566/2024
Case Title – Arun Ramchandran Pillai v. Directorate of Enforcement
