Expedite disposal of UAPA cases before special courts: hc: Delhi HC

Justice Mukta Gupta said that it is paramount that offences under UAPA, whether investigated by the NIA or Special Cell, Delhi Police, are tried expeditiously by special courts, which are not adjudicating other matters.

The Delhi high court on Friday directed its administrative department to indicate the steps it has taken to streamline the expeditious disposal of trials in Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act cases pending before National Investigation Agency (NIA) special courts in the national Capital.

While advocating the need for more NIA courts, the judge said that since the offences are serious and, in some cases, involve foreign nationals, bails are not granted easily and hence more such courts should be designated to decide these cases. (HT File)

Justice Mukta Gupta said that it is paramount that offences under UAPA, whether investigated by the NIA or Special Cell, Delhi Police, are tried expeditiously by special courts, which are not adjudicating other matters.

“In all these matters, they don’t get back bail and most of them are foreign nationals. Therefore expeditious disposal of a trial is really mandated... in serious offences it is difficult to grant them bail,” the judge remarked.

The court was hearing a plea by one Manzer Imam, who has been in custody since 2013 in a case registered by NIA under UAPA. Imam, through his counsel, sought day-to-day hearings in his case. In his plea, Imam stated that there was a delay in the trial in his case because there were only two designated courts that were also hearing non-NIA cases, including bail matters, other IPC offences and MCOCA matters.