Lower court told to expedite trial in decade-old forgery case

Mumbai, Jan 25 (PTI) The Bombay High Court todaydirected a lower court to expedite trial in a forgery andextortion case pending since past one decade.

"Don''t you think ten years is too much of a delay," adivision bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and A R Joshiremarked.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the mainaccused Mohan Kurup seeking for the trial court to be directedto expedite hearing in the case.

"Kurup and six others were arrested in 2000 in aforgery and extortion case and were released on bail the sameyear. In June 2009, Kurup sought to be discharged from thecase which was rejected," advocate Sushan Kunjurama said.

The trial is yet to begin and even the first step offraming charges against the accused has not been done,Kunjuraman argued adding the case was to be heard before theDindoshi sessions court on Tuesday but was adjourned tillApril.

The High Court today directed the sessions court toframe charges in the case in the second week of February andexpedite the trial.