STATE vs AWADH RAJ

Judgment text excerpt

$~13 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of decision: 09.05.2025 + CRL.L.P. 507/2023 STATE .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Laksh Khanna, APP for the State with SI Kiran Dayal. versus AWADH RAJ .....Respondent Through: Mr. Satyendra Mishra & Mr. Praveen Seera, Advs. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUBRAMONIUM PRASAD HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HARISH VAIDYANATHAN SHANKAR J U D G M E N T (ORAL) SUBRAMONIUM PRASAD, J. CRL.M.A. 27325/2023 (Delay of 484 days in filing the appeal) 1. This application is preferred by the Appellant seeking a condonation of delay of 484 days in filing the present Petition. 2. The records indicate that the Impugned Judgment was delivered on 30.01.2020. Accordingly, considering the directives issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in In Re: Cognizance for Extension of Limitation1, the Petition/Appeal ought to have been filed on or before 16.04.2022. 3. The learned APP for the State states that there was a huge pendency of cases due to COVID-19 pandemic during the relevant 1 (2022) 3 SCC 117 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CRL.L.P. 507/2023 Page 1 of 9 By:HARVINDER KAUR BHATIA Signing Date:21.05.2025 11:44:59 period within which the petition ought to have been preferred. 4. In order dated 10.01.2022, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in In Re: Cognizance for Extension of Limitation (supra), directed as follows: “5. Taking into consideration the arguments advanced by the learned counsel and the impact of the surge of the virus on public health and adversities faced by litigants in the prevailing conditions, we deem it appropriate to dispose of MA No. 21 of 2022 with the following directions: 5.1. The order dated 23-3-2020 [Cognizance for Extension of Limitation, In re, (2020) 19 SCC 10 : (2021) 3 SCC (Cri) 801] is restored and in continuation of the subs