1 2026:CGHC:20799-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR CRMP No. 1198 of 2026 Tabasum Ahmed S/o Rizwan Ansari, Aged About 27 Years R/o Village Nevri, Police Station Pandu, District Palamu, Jharkhand ... Petitioner versus State Of Chhattisgarh Through Police Station Narayanpur, District Jashpur (C.G.) ... Respondents (Cause title is taken from Case Information System) For Petitioner : Mr. Anurag Singh, Advocate For State : Mr. S. S. Baghel, Govt. Advocate Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Bibhu Datta Guru, Judge Order on Board Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice 05/05/2026 1. This is an Office reference. 2. This Court, vide order dated 17/06/2025 passed in CRA No. 629 of 2025, while rejecting the bail application of the appellant therein, directed the learned trial Court to make an earnest SOURABH BHILWAR Digitally signed by SOURABH BHILWAR Date: 2026.05.05 17:07:14 +0530 2 endeavour to conclude the trial expeditiously preferably within a period of 6 months from the date of receipt of the judgment passed by this Court, if there was no legal impediment and the appellant was directed to cooperate with the trial. 3. Earlier, the learned Special Judge (NIA), Surguja, District Surguja at Ambikapur (C.G.), vide request letter No. 305 dated 12.12.2025, had sought extension of time to conclude the trial, and this Court vide order dated 16/01/2026 passed in CrMP No.3879/2025 had extended the time limit of three months for conclusion of the said trial. Subsequently, the successor learned Special Judge (NIA), Surguja (C.G.), vide letter No. 121 dated 13.04.2026, has again requested for grant of additional time of four months for conclusion of the trial. 4. It transpires from the PUD dated 13.04.2026 that the learned Special Judge has apprised this Court of the stage of trial and the circumstances leading to delay in its conclusion. It is stated that, in compliance with the order dated 16/01/2026 passed in CRMP No. 3879/2025 directing expeditious disposal of the case within a period of three months i.e. by 15/04/2026, the predecessor Court had examined as many as 17 prosecution witnesses and also recorded the statements of the accused. Thereafter, the matter was fixed for final arguments and, upon hearing the same on 09/04/2026, the case was posted for pronouncement of judgment on 13/04/2026. However, on the said date, the learned Public Prosecutor moved an application under Section 311 Cr.P.C. seeking summoning of a material witness, namely Sub-Inspector 3 Saraswati Kujur of the Cyber Forensic Lab, Raipur, who had examined the seized mobile phone and prepared the report, but whose evidence had not been recorded and the report had not been formally proved. It is further stated that recording of her evidence, followed by consequential proceedings including further statement of the accused and arguments, would require additional time. In these circumstances, despite sincere efforts, the trial could not be concluded within the stipulated period and, therefore, the learned Special Judge has prayed for grant of additional time of four months to conclude the trial. 5. Considering the contents of the PUD and the stage of the trial as explained by the learned Special Judge (NIA), the request appears to be reasonable. The concerned trial Court is, therefore, directed to make all possible endeavour to secure the presence of the remaining witnesses in accordance with law and to proceed with the trial expeditiously, so as to conclude the same at the earliest, preferably within a further period of two months from today. 6. Accordingly, this CRMP stands disposed of with the aforesaid direction. 7. Registry is directed to send a certified copy of this order to the trial Court concerned for necessary information and compliance. Sd/- Sd/- (Bibhu Datta Guru) (Ramesh Sinha) Judge Chief Justice $. Bhilwar/ Rahul