Now, crime branch cases to be handled by a senior judge

In an interesting move, the jurisdiction of the magistrate court of crime branch has been transferred to the court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate with effect from Wednesday. This means all new cases filed by the city crime branch will now be handled by this court. 

The magistrate court of crime branch is regarded as a sensitive court in the lower judiciary in the city as all cases detected and registered by the city crime branch are first brought to this court. This court will, however, continue to deal with all old cases pending in it.

The notification about the shift in the jurisdiction came into force on Wednesday. According to the notification, all the new complaints, private complaints, chargesheets, reports where the jurisdiction was of the magistrate court of the crime branch have to be filed in the court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate.
Besides, the SIT probing the post-Godhra riots will also now have to submit its report in the court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate. As per the direction of the Supreme Court, the SIT is supposed to file its report in the magistrate court of crime branch but since the jurisdiction has been shifted, the agency will file the reports in the new court.

The post of judge in the judicial magistrate court of crime branch has been vacant for more than six months after the then judge NV Tadvi was appointed additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Ahmedabad metropolitan court.