Criminal cases against MPs, MLAs HC directs Govt to set up special Courts

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 1: Citing directions/suggestions issued by the Supreme Court in the case of Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay & others versus Union of India & others of 2016, the High Court of Manipur has directed the State Government to create two exclusive special Courts to conduct trials of cases against former and sitting MPs and MLAs at Imphal.
The two special Courts having jurisdiction over the whole of Manipur would be known as Special Court (MP/MLA) No 1, Manipur (Sessions Court to be manned by MJS Grade-I and Special Court (MP/MLA) No 2, Manipur (Magisterial Court to be manned by MJS Grade-II).
A double bench of the High Court comprising of Chief Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice A Bimol Singh passed an order (oral) to this effect today in response to a public interest litigation.
The High Court has also asked the State Government to create two cadre posts of Manipur Judicial Services in Grade I & II along with two posts of Special Public Prosecutor.
For  the present till the two Special Courts are created,  the  State  Government  has been directed  to  designate  the  Courts  of  Additional  District  &  Sessions  Judge  (FTC),  Manipur  West  and  (ii)  Chief Judicial  Magistrate,  Imphal  East  as  Special  Courts  No 1  &  No 2,  Manipur respectively  to  deal  with    criminal  cases  relating  to  sitting  and  former MPs/MLAs,  
The  special  Courts should  be  empowered to  conduct  trials  of cases relating to offences under Indian Penal Code as well as special Acts.    
The High Court also directed the DGP to designate a   nodal   prosecution   officer   not   below   the   rank   of   Additional Superintendent of Police to ensure production of accused persons  before  the respective  special  Courts  and execution  of  NBWs issued by the Courts.
The DGP shall direct all Investigating Officers  to complete the investigations in respect of  criminal cases filed  against  former  and  sitting  MPs/MLAs and submit reports under Section 173 CrPC without any further delay.
The Director  of  Prosecution  shall  ensure  that  the  reports  submitted  by the  IOs  under  Section  173  CrPC  shall  be  processed  on  priority  basis  and submitted to the Special Courts concerned immediately.
Any delay on the part of  the  Director  of  Prosecution  will  be  viewed  as  disobeying  the  order  of  this Court. The Director  will  ensure  without  fail  that  all  pending NBWs,  summons etc  issued by the Special Courts are executed on  time.  A compliance report  should  be submitted   to the High Court of Manipur throug the Public   Prosecutor, said the order.
The Director, Forensic Science Laboratory,  Manipur should ensure that test reports in connection with  criminal  cases  against  former  and  sitting MPs/MLAs be completed on priority basis  and shall be forwarded to the investigation  agency and/or the special Courts, as the case  may  be without any further delay.
Special agencies such as CBI, NIA, etc  should ensure that pending investigations of criminal cases against former and sitting MPs/MLAs shall be completed  as  soon  as  possible  and  the  reports  submitted under  Section 173 CrPC promptly.
They will complete all required formalities for speeding up the trial on day-to-day basis, the High Court directed and listed the PIL on October 15 for compliance of the order issued today.