The Supreme Court of India underscored the critical importance of every day in relation to a citizen's freedom during a recent hearing on a bail plea. The plea was filed by Amandeep Singh Dhall, implicated in the Delhi liquor scam, with his lawyer, Kapil Sibal, representing him.
Dhall's plea highlighted a significant delay by the Delhi High Court, deliberating on his bail application for several months without concluding. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the Supreme Court directed the High Court to expedite its decision on the bail plea.
The plea revealed that the High Court has conducted 40 hearings on Dhall's regular bail application but has postponed the matter yet again, this time to July 8. Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta, who formed the Supreme Court bench, expressed concern over the prolonged delay. They remarked, "Despite 40 hearings, you have not been able to decide on regular bail. In matters concerning citizens' freedom, every single day matters." They highlighted that the bail application had been pending for 11 months, thereby infringing upon Dhall's freedom.
In response, the Supreme Court instructed the High Court to resolve the bail application before its summer break, which begins on June 3, with May 31 being the last working day. Dhall, currently accused in the Delhi liquor scam and under investigation by the CBI and ED, had previously had his bail denied by the trial court, prompting his appeal to the High Court.
.jpeg&w=80&h=80&crop-to-fit)
