DILAWAR v. THE STATE OF HARYANA & ANR.

655 # [2018] 5 S.C.R. 655 DILAWAR A v. THE STATE OF HARYANA & ANR. (M.A. No. 267 of 2017 in SLP (Crl.) No. 657 of 2017) MAY 01, 2018 B ## **[ADARSH KUMAR GOEL AND INDU MALHOTRA, JJ.]** _Investigation: Speedy investigation – By impugned order, CBI was directed to conduct trial within six months – The case against the petitioner-accused was that he was leader of a mob which indulged in arson, loot and mischief of burning of house of cabinet minister – His bail applications were rejected by Sessions Court and High Court – While rejecting bail application, Supreme Court directed that trial be conducted as far as possible within six months – In the instant application seeking modification of the said order, it was stated that CBI was conducting investigation and took over only on January 6, 2016 and one and a half years have gone by and, there was voluminous task which was time consuming and trial could not commence unless report under s.173 Cr.P.C is filed by CBI which would take long time – Disposing of the application, the Court, Held: There is no indication as to what proceedings have been taken up by the CBI so far, and why more time will be required and how much more time will be required – No investigating agency can take unduly long time in completing investigation – Speedy investigation is recognized as a part of fundamental right of fair procedure under Art.21 of the Constitution – Since accused has been in custody for more than two years and investigation is pending with the CBI for more than one and a half years, CBI must complete investigation at the most within next two months so that trial can commence latest by July 10, 2018 and concluded by the end of the year – Since order declining bail was passed on 30[th] January, 2017 and more than one year has gone by, it will be open to the petitioner, if he is still in custody, to move a bail application before the trial court in accordance with law – Constitution of India – Art.21._ C D E F G H 655 656 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2018] 5 S.C.R. A B _Investigation: In number of case, investigations remain pending for unduly long time which is not conducive to administration of criminal justice – There is need for timelines for completing investigation and for having in-house oversight mechanism wherein accountability for adhering to laid down timelines can be fixed at a different levels in the hierarchy ._ _Constitution of India – Art.21 – Speedy trial – There is implicit right under Art.21 for speedy trial which in turn encompasses speedy investigation, inquiry, appeal, revision and retrial – To determine whether undue delay has occurred, one must have regard to nature_ C _of offence, number of accused and witnesses, workload of the court and the investigating agency, systemic delays – Inordinate delay may be taken as presumptive proof of prejudice particularly when accused is in custody so that prosecution does not become persecution – Court has to balance and weigh several relevant factors – Though it is neither advisable nor feasible to prescribe_ D _any mandatory outer time limit and the court may only examine effect of delay in every individual case on the anvil of Art. 21 of the Constitution, there is certainly a need for in-house mechanism to ensure that there is no undue delay in completing investigation – Delay/laches – Investigation._ E _Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India_ **(1978) 1 SCC 248 : [1978] 2 SCR 621 ;** _Hussainara Khatoon (I) v. Home Secy., State of Bihar_ **(1980) 1 SCC 81 : [1979] 3 SCR 169 ;** _Abdul Rehman Antulay v. R.S. Nayak_ **(1992) 1 SCC 225 : [1991] 3 Suppl. SCR 325 ;** _P. Ramachandra_ F _Rao v. State of Karnataka_ **(2002) 4 SCC 578 – relied on.** _Investigation: Undue delay – Need for a mechanism to take remedial steps if there is undue delay in investigation – s.57 Cr.P.C. puts a bar on detention by a police officer beyond 24 hours excepting_ G _time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Magistrate’s court – s.167(1) Cr.P.C. provides that where investigation cannot be completed within 24 hours, the accused has to be produced before the Magistrate and further detention of the accused has to be authorized by the Magistrate – It is well_ H 657 DILAWAR v. THE STATE OF HARYANA & ANR. _established that authorization for such detention has to be given_ A _having regard to the progress in investigation – Even a Magistrate cannot authorise detention in police custody beyond 15 days – After judicial custody for more than 90 days in serious cases stipulated therein and 60 days in other cases, there is a provision for mandatory default bail requirement if there is delay in investigation_ B _beyond the said period – In summons case, if investigation is not concluded within six months, the same has to be stopped unless continuation is found necessary – However, there is no express outer limit for investigation in other cases but delay in investigation may affect reasonableness of procedure specially when a person is in custody and is unable to furnish bail – Hence the need to lay down_ C _timelines for completing investigation with a view to give effect to the mandate of Art. 21 of the Constitution – Certain directions given to MHA – Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 – ss.57, 167(1)._ Law Commission’s Report **14[th] Report (1958) and 154[th] Report (1996) – referred to.** D ## **Case Law Reference** |**[1978]**|**2**|**SCR 621**<br>|**relied on**|**Para 7**|| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||E| |**[1979]**|**3**|**SCR 169**<br>|**relied on**|**Para 7**|| |**[1991]**|**3**|**Suppl. SCR 325 relied on**||**Para 7**|| |**(2002)**|**4**|**SCC 578**<br>|**relied on**|**Para 7**|| CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: M. A. No. 267 of 2017 in SLP (Crl.) No. 657 of 2017. F From the Judgment and Order dated 02.12.2016 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh in CRM-M-No. 27311 of 2016. G Tushar Mehta, ASG, Ms. Vibha Dutta Makhija, Sr. Adv., Ajay Sharma, T. A. Khan, Mukesh Kumar Maroria, Advs. for the Appellant. H 658 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2018] 5 S.C.R. A The following Order of the Court was passed : ## **O R D E R** 1. This application has been filed by CBI in a disposed of matter for modification of order of this Court dated 31[st] January, 2017. B 2, FIR No.118 dated 27[th] February, 2016 was registered with the Police Station, Urban Estate, Rohtak alleging mob violence in ‘jat agitation’. The petitioner was one of the accused arrested on 20[th] April, 2016 and was said to be in custody since then. The state police, after completing the investigation, filed chargesheet on 27[th] May, 2016 before the Court. However, the investigation was thereafter transferred, on C 30[th] September, 2016, to the CBI along with several other cases. Court proceedings were also transferred from regular courts to the CBI Court at Panchkula. The petitioner applied for bail before the Additional Sessions Judge, Rohtak which was dismissed on 12[th] July, 2016. Though some of the co-accused were granted bail by the High Court, bail application of D the petitioner was dismissed by the High Court on 2[nd] December, 2016. The High Court observed that prima facie the petitioner appeared to be the leader of the mob which indulged in arson, loot and mischief of burning of the house of a Cabinet Minister. When the matter came up before this Court against the order declining bail by the High Court, this Court while not granting bail directed that the trial be concluded as far as E possible within six months. 3. In the present application it is stated that CBI is conducting investigation and has taken over only on 6[th] October, 2016. There is voluminous task which is time consuming. Thus, trial cannot commence unless report under Section 173 Cr.P.C. filed by the CBI which will take F long time. 4. From the above narration of facts, it is clear that even if CBI commenced investigation on 6[th] October, 2016, one and a half years have already gone by. There is no indication as to what proceedings have been taken by the CBI so far and why more time will be required G and how much more time will be required. No investigating agency can take unduly long time in completing investigation. Speedy investigation is recognized as a part of fundamental right of fair procedure under Article 21 of the Constitution. H 659 DILAWAR v. THE STATE OF HARYANA & ANR. 5. Accordingly, when the matter came up for hearing on the last A date, learned ASG sought time to assist the Court as to whether there should be timelines for completing investigation. In the present case, since accused has been in custody for more than two years and investigation is pending with the CBI for more than one and a half years, we are of the view that CBI must complete investigation at the most B within next two months so that trial can commence latest by July 10, 2018 and concluded by the end of the year. Since order declining bail was passed on 30[th] January, 2017 and more than one year has gone by, it will be open to the petitioner, if he is still in custody, to move a bail application before the trial court in accordance with law. This application will stand disposed of accordingly except for consideration of the issue C indicated hereafter. 6. We have come across number of cases where investigations remain pending for unduly long time which is not conducive to administration of criminal justice. There is, thus, clear need for timelines for completing investigation and for having in-house oversight mechanism wherein accountability for adhering to laid down timelines can be fixed at a different levels in the hierarchy. 7. It is not necessary to refer to all the decisions of this Court articulating the mandate of the Constitution that there is implicit right under Article 21 for speedy trial which in turn encompasses speedy investigation, inquiry, appeal, revision and retrial. To determine whether undue delay has occurred, one must have regard to nature of offence, number of accused and witnesses, workload of the court and the investigating agency, systemic delays. Inordinate delay may be taken as presumptive proof of prejudice particularly when accused is in custody so that prosecution does not become persecution. Court has to balance and weigh several relevant factors. Though it is neither advisable nor feasible to prescribe any mandatory outer time limit and the court may only examine effect of delay in every individual case on the anvil of Article 21 of the Constitution, there is certainly a need for in-house mechanism to ensure that there is no undue delay in completing investigation. This obligation flows from the law laid down by this Court inter-alia in _**Maneka Gandhi versus Union of India[1] , Hussainara Khatoon (I) versus Home Secy., State of Bihar[2] , Abdul Rehman**_ D E F G > 1 (1978) 1 SCC 248 2 (1980) 1 SCC 81 H 660 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2018] 5 S.C.R. - A _**Antulay versus R.S. Nayak[3]**_ and _**P. Ramachandra Rao versus State of Karnataka[4] .**_ 8. There is undoubted need for a mechanism to take remedial steps if there is undue delay in investigation. Section 57 Cr.P.C. puts a bar on detention by a police officer beyond 24 hours excepting time B necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the Magistrate’s court. Section 167(1) Cr.P.C. provides that where investigation cannot be completed within 24 hours, the accused has to be produced before the Magistrate and further detention of the accused has to be authorized by the Magistrate. It is well established that authorization for such C detention has to be given having regard to the progress in investigation. Even a Magistrate cannot authorise detention in police custody beyond 15 days. After judicial custody for more than 90 days in serious cases stipulated therein and 60 days in other cases, there is a provision for mandatory default bail requirement if there is delay in investigation beyond the said period. In summons case, if investigation is not concluded D within six months, the same has to be stopped unless continuation is found necessary[5] . However, there is no express outer limit for investigation in other cases but delay in investigation may affect reasonableness of procedure specially when a person is in custody and is unable to furnish bail. Hence the need to lay down timelines for E completing investigation with a view to give effect to the mandate of Article 21 of the Constitution. This aspect has also been discussed in the Law Commission’s Report including the 14[th] report (1958) and 154[th] Report (1996) as noticed by this Court[6.] . 9. In view of the above, we implead Union of India as a party. F We have asked learned ASG to represent the Union of India. We direct the Ministry of Home Affairs to have inter action on the subject with all the Central and State investigating agencies on or before May 31, 2018 either on video conferencing or in person. The points emerging from the inter action may be recorded and examined by an appropriate committee G which may constituted for the purpose. The said committee may give its report latest by June 30, 2018. We direct the MHA to place on record among other data, the figures of all pending investigations beyond one - 3 (1992) 1 SCC 225 4 (2002) 4 SCC 578 5 167(5) Cr.P.C. - H 6 Rakesh Kumar Paul vs. State of Assam (2017) 15 SCC 67, paras 30 and 31. 661 DILAWAR v. THE STATE OF HARYANA & ANR. year and action plan to complete them in a proposed time frame. With A regard to State agencies also such information may be collected and furnished by the MHA. Put up the matter for further consideration on 3[rd] July, 2018. B Devika Gujral Application disposed of. C D E F G H