The Rajasthan High Court quashed the charges in a corruption case against a 100-year-old man and his 96-year-old wife after observing that their advanced age and health issues demand a humanitarian approach. The Court took note of a delay of over 18 years in concluding in the trial and observed the same reinforced the argument that charges against the accused may be baseless or at least not supported by strong evidence.
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JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court quashed corruption charges against a 100-year-old man and his 96-year-old wife, taking into account their advanced age and health conditions. The Court emphasized that a humanitarian approach was necessary under such circumstances.
Justice Arun Monga, who presided over the case, also extended relief to the couple’s 65-year-old daughter-in-law. The charges stemmed from a case originally filed against their 71-year-old son under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act), alleging he had accumulated assets disproportionate to his income as a Development Officer between 1978 and 2006.
The Court highlighted the prolonged delay of over 18 years in concluding the trial, reinforcing doubts about the strength of the evidence against the accused. Observing that the elderly couple and their daughter-in-law were not directly involved in the case, the Court remarked that the charges seemed baseless or, at the very least, unsupported by strong evidence.
“Forcing individuals nearing the end of their lives to endure a prolonged legal battle without any substantive charges against them is both cruel and unjust,”
-the Court noted in its ruling.
Background of the Case
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jaipur registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the main accused, Ram Lal Patidar, in 2006, and charges were filed in 2014. Following a raid, the accounts of Patidar’s parents, Dhooli and Panu Devi, were seized, along with stree-dhan belonging to Patidar’s wife, Premila, and their daughter-in-law. Land documents were also confiscated.
The family petitioned the court, seeking to quash the charges, arguing that there had been no action from the prosecution for over a decade, signaling a lack of evidence.
The Court emphasized the delay in prosecution as a key factor.
“This delay, despite no fault on the part of the petitioners, violates their right to a fair and speedy trial,”
-the Court remarked.
It further pointed out that no significant progress had been made since the chargesheet was filed in 2014, raising concerns about the administration of justice.
“Such delay undermines the legal principle that justice delayed is justice denied. No doubt, conversely, justice hurried is justice buried. But the case in hand is of former category and not latter,”
-the Court said.
Overreach in Asset Seizure and Burden on Family
The Court also questioned the seizure of the family’s assets, including the personal belongings like stree-dhan, suggesting that these actions went beyond the necessities of investigating disproportionate assets. This caused undue hardship to Patidar’s family members who had little or no involvement in the case.
The Court noted that including unrelated family members in the investigation added to the oppressive nature of the proceedings.
Inconsistencies in the Prosecution
Another significant point raised by the Court was the inconsistency in the prosecution’s conduct. Notably, Patidar’s brother, who was also implicated, was not being prosecuted due to the absence of a prosecution sanction against him.
The Court saw this as an indication that the case against the rest of the family might not be as robust as it appeared.
“If a key figure, like the petitioner’s brother, is not being prosecuted, it raises doubts about the legitimacy of the case against the rest of the family as well,”
-the Court observed.
Quashing of Charges and Future Proceedings
Given the age and indirect involvement of the elderly couple and their daughter-in-law, the Court found compelling grounds to quash the charges against them on compassionate grounds.
The ruling pointed out that they had already endured years of litigation without seeing any meaningful progress or resolution.
“They have already suffered the pangs of protracted litigation without even a flicker of light in the tunnel during the twilight years of their lives,”
-the Court remarked.
While the charges against the elderly couple and their daughter-in-law were quashed, the Court allowed the proceedings to continue against the main accused, Ram Lal Patidar.
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