Pune district court separating crime from chaff

In an attempt to dispose of a major chunk of pending criminal cases, the Pune District Court administration directed all courts of judicial magistrate (first class), chief judicial magistrate and additional chief judicial magistrate under its jurisdiction, to collect information on stale and ineffective criminal cases pending as on August 31. 

In a letter dated November 25 sent by the district court registrar, Vidya Mishra, the courts have been requested to examine
the pending cases and send the information to the district court authority by December 3. 

Stale and ineffective cases means cases registered under Bombay Police Act, Bombay Prohibition Act, Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, Bombay Weight and Measurement Act and Motor Vehicle Act and charge-sheets filed on or before December 31, 2005. 

Also, offences registered under Indian Penal Code and any other law with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years are considered to be stale and ineffective cases.

The move is the fallout of a confabulation on June 6 between chief minister Prithviraj Chavan (who holds the law and judiciary portfolio), the chief justice of the Bombay high court and the state’s chief secretary to frame guidelines for withdrawal of all the stale and ineffective cases.