The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned hearing on the petition filed by former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, challenging the Gujarat High Court verdict that ditected completion of trial in the two-decade-old drug seizure case within a stipulated time period.
The Division Bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Manoj Misra expressed its displeasure over Bhatt approaching the Apex Court at the slightest inconvenience.
Questioning his grievance, the Supreme Court remarked that the petitioner may tomorrow even challenge the adjournments before this court.
The Counsel appearing for Bhatt informed the Bench that he was led by the Senior Counsel, who was on his legs before another Bench of the Supreme Court.
Taking in view the petitioner’s request, as well as of the Senior Counsel representing the original complainant, who has filed an impleadment application in the present proceedings, the Bench listed the matter for further hearing to February 20.
Bhatt had contended in the Special Leave Petition that the order of the High Court had been impugned, inter alia, on the basis of the well-settled principle that ‘justice hurried was justice buried’.
Arguing that the order did not comply with the principles of natural justice and was passed without hearing him, the petitioner contended that about 44 witnesses were yet to be examined.
As per Bhatt, considering that till date only 16 witnesses had been examined, it would not be possible to adhere to the timeline stipulated by the High Court.
He said in order to conduct a free and fair trial as envisaged in Article 21 of the Constitution, all witnesses and documents need to be examined without any rush.