Topic
Madhya Pradesh High Court holds that municipal bodies cannot obstruct criminal investigations by withholding documents, setting a six-month deadline for probe completion under Section 528 BNSS. Non-compliance will invite contempt proceedings, reinforcing speedy justice as a constitutional right under Article 21.
The Gauhati High Court has ruled that prolonged administrative confiscation of property under Section 49 of the Assam Forest Regulation, without timely completion of investigation, amounts to a violation of the right to speedy justice under Article 21. This sets a critical precedent for forest authorities across Northeast India, requiring them to conclude proceedings within a reasonable timeframe or forfeit the legal basis for continued detention.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court ruled that while excessive delay in criminal investigation violates the right to speedy justice under Article 21, a writ of mandamus cannot be issued to compel completion once the final report has been filed. This clarifies the limits of judicial intervention in police investigations and reinforces that remedies must align with procedural finality.