SC slams Maharashtra over trial delays

The India — Supreme Court of India, in a bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu, criticized the India — Maharashtra government for opposing bail pleas while failing to expedite criminal trials. The court noted that in the case of foreign national Kelvin Chindozie Okoro, arrested in 2022 for kidnapping and murder, only two of 34 witnesses had been examined in four years, and the accused was not produced before the trial court on 53 of 86 hearing dates. The bench warned it would 'expose' India — Maharashtra publicly if such delays continued and directed that at least four witnesses be examined per week. The court emphasized the fundamental right to a speedy trial and called for a state policy on trial expediting.