Video-conference not substitute to producing accused in court, says Bombay HC

It suggested the government to remove some policemen deployed for VIPs so that they can escort undertrials to courts.

Video-conferencing facility is not a substitute to producing an accused person before the trial court on scheduled dates, the Bombay high court told the state on Tuesday.

Installation of video-conferencing facilities does not mean that the accused will not to be produced before trial courts, said the division bench of Justice SC Dharmadhikari and Justice Bharati Dangre. (HT File (Representational Image))

It suggested the government to remove some policemen deployed for VIPs so that they can escort undertrials to courts.

Installation of video-conferencing facilities at jails and courts does not mean that the accused will not to be produced before trial courts on scheduled dates, said the division bench of Justice SC Dharmadhikari and Justice Bharati Dangre.

“The accused has to be produced before the trial court,” said the court, adding, “Otherwise, how can trial go on.”

The court was hearing a bunch of petitions, including a suo-motu public interest litigation, complaining about unnecessary delays in trials as the accused were not produced in courts on scheduled dates.

Advocate Niteen Pradhan, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae, said the government has already installed video conferencing facilities at 110 jails and 518 courts.