The
Supreme Court has flagged serious jurisdictional gaps in Delhi and the National
Capital Region (NCR), warning that organised and hardcore criminals are
exploiting interstate boundaries to evade prompt investigation and trial.
Last
week, the apex court stressed the urgent need for an effective legal mechanism
to address inter-state complications that frequently derail trials in grave
offences under Central Penal Laws, which are the core statutes that define
criminal offences.
A
Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that
jurisdictional ambiguities are being misused by criminal networks.
“During the course of the hearing, this has
also transpired that in matters of grave offences under the Central Penal Laws,
where organised professional or hardcore criminals are involved, they take
undue advantage of territorial jurisdictional issues in the NCR,” the court
said.
The Bench explained that
crimes often span multiple states, creating confusion over investigative and
trial authority.
“Sometimes
the offence is committed in ‘A’ State and its trials are traceable in ‘B’ or
‘C’ State also. However, which police or agency should take cognisance of the
matter for prompt investigation, or which court should be the competent jurisdictional
court, becomes a debatable issue in the ensuing criminal trial,” it noted.
The
court cautioned that such ambiguity ultimately benefits offenders.
“The eventual benefit goes to the unscrupulous
criminals, which may not be in the interest of society or the nation,” it said,
adding that the issue requires serious consideration by the relevant
authorities, including the formulation of a stronger legal framework to
optimise existing laws.