Authority: Calcutta High Court (Justice Dr. Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee)
Order Date: 10 July 2026
Case Overview
- Petitioners: Bhigu Dutta @ Bhrigu Datta & Ors. (counsel: Riaz Abedin, Asif Dewan, Mehedi Masud, Afreen Azad) versus The State of West Bengal & Anr.
- The petition seeks a direction to the Judicial Magistrate, 3rd Court, Howrah, for speedy disposal of G.R. Case No.5326 of 2020, filed under IPC Sections 498A, 323, 406, 506, 34 and Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
- Complaint lodged on 20 November 2020; charge‑sheet submitted on 20 January 2021; charges framed on 16 February 2022 under Sections 498A and 34 IPC.
- No witness examination has taken place; the proceeding has remained pending for more than six years.
- The complainant also filed an application under Section 173(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which remains undischarged.
Final Outcome
- The Court finds the petitioners’ prayer justified and, dispensing with service of the application on the opposite party, directs the lower court to make every endeavour for expeditious disposal of G.R. Case No.5326 of 2020.
- The lower court is instructed to conclude the proceeding preferably within ten months from the next date of hearing.
- Parties are required to act on a server copy of this order collected from the official website of the Hon’ble High Court, Calcutta.
Topics: Dowry Prohibition, Criminal Procedure, Judicial Delay