HARA PRASAD SWAIN Vs. STATE OF ORISSA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. A.R. Panda, learned counsel for the Appellant, Mr. K. Das, learned A.S.C. for the State-Respondent No.1 and Mr. P. Sahu, learned counsel for the Respondent No.2-informant.

(2.) This is an appeal under Sec.14A of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the offences alleged are under Secs.294/506, I.P.C. and Sec.3(1)(r)(s)/ 3(2)(va) of the S.C. and S.T. (POA) Act and Sec.66-E/67 of the I.T. Act.

(3.) It is submitted that the Appellant is inside custody since 13/5/2020 and despite repeated directions of this Court dtd. 7/6/2021 passed in CRLA No.121 of 2021 and dtd. 3/11/2022 passed in the present appeal, the trial has not been completed and only seven witnesses have been examined till date. It is further submitted that during recent interim release of the Appellant, no such untoward incident has been reported against him and after availing his interim release, the Appellant has surrendered in time.