New Delhi: Two years after it transferred the
trial of certain criminal cases out of Jammu and Kashmir on security reasons, the Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that they
would be sent back to the state in view of return of normalcy
in there.
The apex court also took into consideration the failure
to complete the trial of the cases within a year as per its
direction passed in 2008 when 25 criminal cases were
transferred to various courts in Punjab, Rajasthan, Delhi and
Uttar Pradesh.
A bench of justices Aftab Alam and R M Lodha asked the
Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir to be personally present
in the court to take a decision on transfer of cases back to
the state.
"I do not have the slightest of doubt on why these trial
cannot be held in Jammu or Udampur. The situation is normal
and there is no impediment in holding fair trial there," the
bench said.
"Why they were put in different jails across the country
when the offence was committed in J&K"? the bench said.
The court was hearing a petition filed by J&K Panthers
Party president Bhim Singh seeking a direction to the
governemnt to complete the trial in a time-bound manner as the
accused are languishing in jail for a long time.
PTI
