PHOOLAN DEVI vs STATE OF M.P.

The Supreme Court, in this judgment, addressed the petition of Smt. Phoolan Devi under Article 32 of the Constitution, claiming violation of her right to a speedy trial under Article 21 due to prolonged custody since February 1983. The Court noted that the State of Uttar Pradesh sought to withdraw prosecutions against her, and emphasized that the question of her release from custody was limited to the facts presented in this writ petition. The Court held that the matter of her release on parole does not equate to a final release, and the terms of her surrender must be adjudicated in the pending criminal cases.