RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court has strongly criticised the tendency of trial courts to grant long adjournments, even in cases where the accused is in judicial custody, terming it a violation of the fundamental right to a speedy trial guaranteed under the Constitution. Observing that such delays defeat the purpose of justice delivery, the court directed all trial courts in the state to “make earnest efforts to avoid unnecessary adjournments” and to fix “short and continuous dates for recording evidence,” especially in cases involving undertrials. The court stressed that adjournments should be granted only under “unavoidable or compelling circumstances.”The single-judge bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha made these observations while rejecting the second bail application of a man arrested in a major drug seizure case involving 33.7 kg of ganja recovered from his joint possession with co-accused persons. The accused was booked under Section 20-B(ii)(C) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, by Devbhog police in Gariyaband district.The court noted that the accused’s first bail plea was dismissed on merit on January 31, 2025, and that the second plea lacked any fresh grounds. The state opposed the bail, submitting that the accused failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the recovery of a commercial quantity of the contraband.While the defence claimed that three of 14 prosecution witnesses turned hostile, the High Court said such conduct “amounts to tampering with the evidence.” The court observed that this was not a case of false implication, particularly since the trial was already underway.Rejecting the plea, the Chief Justice directed the trial court to pre-pone the matter and to ensure the recording of evidence without undue delay, noting that the accused has been in jail since November 8, 2024.Significantly, the court directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Chhattisgarh, to ensure the presence of all remaining witnesses, including the investigating officers, to facilitate the trial’s expeditious completion. The bench further expressed “hope and trust” that the trial would be concluded within four months from the receipt of its order.To ensure uniform compliance, the Chief Justice ordered the Registrar General of the High Court to circulate the directive to all Principal and District Judges as well as the DGP, Chhattisgarh.In its concluding remarks, the High Court reiterated that the right to a speedy trial is a fundamental right under the Constitution and that delay due to long adjournments undermines public confidence in the justice system.