Need to train judicial officers dealing special enactments: HC

Irked over the "inept" handling of a case by judicial officers of a lower court, the Delhi High Court has said there was a need to train these officers in dealing with special enactments.

Justice R K Gauba pulled up the presiding officers of the special court over the handling of the public prosecutor's report for extension of the judicial custody of an accused in the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

"The impropriety reflected in the inept handling on the part of the judicial officers who dealt with the matter at hand, points to the need for proper sensitisation of the judicial officers at large in the intricacies and nuances of such special enactments through training or orientation programmes organised by the judicial academy," the court said.

The court further shed light on the confusion that might prevail in cases when the judges in special courts are not available.

The high court has proposed the introduction of an arrangement of link courts, which is similar to the courts of the metropolitan magistrates, in such cases.

The court observed this in an appeal by Rambeer Shokeen, who was arrested in December last year for offences under the MCOCA.

He had challenged certain orders passed by the two special courts contending that his judicial custody beyond February this year was illegal.

Shokeen had contended that he was entitled to be released on bail due to the delay on the part of the investigating agency in completing the probe and filing its charge sheet within the statutory period of 90 days.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)