Supreme Court affirms victims' right to demand speedy criminal trials

Renuka Jain, who filed a fraud complaint in 2017, approached the Delhi High Court for an order to accelerate her case, but the court dismissed her plea as frivolous and levied a ₹10,000 cost. The Supreme Court, hearing the matter, ruled that victims have a constitutional right to a speedy trial and can file petitions under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Atul S Chandurkar clarified that victims, like the accused, are entitled to insist on both prompt and fair proceedings.

The apex court overturned the high court’s decision and instructed the Karkardooma district court to conclude the trial within one year. The judgment draws on earlier rulings emphasizing that delays cause additional suffering to victims and that speedy justice is not an exclusive right of the accused. It reinforces the victim’s statutory recognition under the BNSS and the Code of Criminal Procedure.