IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No.M-15151 of 2011 (O&M) Date of decision: 17th May, 2011 Baljit Singh … Petitioner Versus State of Punjab … Respondents CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE KANWALJIT SINGH AHLUWALIA Present: Mr. Vipin Mahajan, Advocate for the petitioner. KANWALJIT SINGH AHLUWALIA, J. (ORAL) Present petition has been filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. praying that the trial of case FIR No.5 dated 20.01.2010 registered at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar under Sections 21, 25, 29, 61 and 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and Sections 467, 468, 471 and 411 IPC be concluded within a specified timeframe. Counsel for the petitioner has stated that the petitioner is in custody for the last about one year four months and till today only one witness has been examined. Learned counsel has stated that the right of speedy trial vests in the petitioner and he cannot be kept behind the bars and the trial cannot linger-on indefinitely. Issue notice of motion. On the asking of Court, Mr. J.S. Bhullar, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab accepts notice on behalf of the respondent-State. A copy of the petition has been supplied to him. Counsel for the State, after going through the contents of this petition, has submitted that the investigating agency and the public Criminal Misc. No. M-15151 of 2011 (O&M) prosecutor shall make every endeavour that on each date fixed before the trial Court witnesses are produced and examined. In view of the statement made by counsel for the State, present petition is disposed of by issuing a direction to the trial Court to conclude the trial of above said FIR within a period of nine months from the next date of hearing, subject to petitioner’s furnishing a certified copy of this order before the trial Court within next ten days. A copy of this order, duly attested by the Special Secretary of this Court, be supplied to counsel for the State for onward transmission to the public prosecutor and the investigating officer for compliance. [KANWALJIT SINGH AHLUWALIA] JUDGE May 17, 2011 rps 2