IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOMAS P.JOSEPH TUESDAY, THE 11TH JANUARY 2011 / 21ST POUSHA 1932 OP(Crl.).No. 1144 of 2010(Q) ---------------------------- ST.1376/2008 of JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE,THIRUVALLA CRIME NO.166 OF 2000 OPF THIRUVALLA POLICESTATION .................... PETITIONER/ACCUSED -------------------------------------- JOJO THOMAS, S/O.JOY, KATTUPURATHU VEEDU, KATTUKARA MURI, THIRUVALLA. BY ADV. SRI.R.SUNIL KUMAR SMT.A.SALINI LAL RESPONDENT(S): COMPLAINANT -------------------------- STATE OF KERALA, REP. BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SMT.M.K.PUSHPALATHA THIS OP (CRIMINAL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 11/01/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: THOMAS P. JOSEPH, J. -------------------------------------- O.P.(Crl.) No.1144 of 2010 -------------------------------------- Dated this the 11th day of January, 2011. JUDGMENT Petitioner is accused in Crime No.166 of 2000 of Thiruvalla Police Station for offence punishable under Section 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 - for short, “the Act” (as it stood prior to the amendment). Case is now pending before learned Judicial First Class Magistrate, Thiruvalla in S.T.No.1376 of 2008. Petitioner stated that he is an engineering graduate and is in search of a job abroad. He is sure to get employment abroad. Hence direction is sought for early disposal of the case. 2. I have heard learned counsel for petitioner and the Public Prosecutor. A report was called for, from the learned Judicial First Class Magistrate, Thiruvalla. Learned Magistrate has stated about pendency of cases in that court including large number of targeted cases to be disposed of and accordingly the heavy work load. Learned Magistrate has also stated that in the present case there are ten witnesses cited by the prosecution all of whom may be required to be examined and hence it may require some time for disposal of the case. However, having regard to the difficulty in which petitioner is placed and since the case is of the year 2008, learned Magistrate is directed to ensure that the case is disposed of as early as possible. OP(Crl.) No.1144/2010 2 Petition is disposed of accordingly. THOMAS P.JOSEPH, Judge. cks