Srinagar, July 06: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has granted bail to a former police officer accused of killing a man in 2006 and falsely presenting him as a militant in an encounter.
Justice Atul Sreedharan expressed astonishment that the trial, which began 17 years ago, was still not concluded. He noted that only 28 out of 72 witnesses had been examined during this period.
“This Court is astounded by the facts of this case. This is a clear-cut case of violation of Article 21 due to the delayed trial. The trial is stalled at the stage of prosecution witnesses, and the State has not demonstrated how the delay could be attributed to the applicant,” the judge stated in his order dated July 3, 2024.
The 56-year-old accused, Bansi Lal, sought bail through his wife earlier this year. His lawyer argued that Lal had been in judicial custody for the past 18 years, with only a few months of interim bail during that time. Considering these circumstances, the Court granted bail, ordering Lal’s immediate release.