HC Rejects Plea for Court-Monitored Probe in Red Fort Blast Case, Citing Lack of Trial Commencement

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The Delhi High Court has turned down a petition seeking a court-supervised committee to oversee the trial of the 2001 Red Fort blast case. The court stated that the trial has yet to begin and that the petitioner's concerns were speculative, rather than based on actual delays. The Red Fort blast, which occurred on November 10, 2001, resulted in the loss of 15 lives. The case was initially handled by the Delhi Police but has since been transferred to the National Investigation Agency. The petitioner, Dr. Pankaj Pushkar, had requested a day-to-day trial and bi-monthly status reports from the probe agency. However, the court dismissed his plea, saying that it was not a writ petition, but rather an essay outlining his concerns. The court also pointed out that the case has not yet started, and that the petitioner's fears were unfounded. The court added that it was not there to entertain suggestions or ideas, but rather to address specific grievances. Dr. Pushkar had argued that the trial should be concluded according to legislative mandate and that the court should provide some assurance that the trial would not be delayed. However, the court replied that the trial would only conclude when it commenced, and that stage had not yet been reached. The court's decision has been met with criticism from the petitioner's counsel, who stated that the trial should be concluded in a timely manner to provide justice to the victims and their families.