Dhillon v. State of Punjab (2025): High Court Mandates Priority, Time-Bound Trials for Cases Involving Senior-Citizen Victims

1. Introduction

In Lt. Col. Sukhwinder Singh Dhillon v. State of Punjab (2025 PHHC 95178) the Punjab & Haryana High Court confronted chronic delay in a cyber-fraud prosecution arising out of FIR 19/2021. The petitioner, a 76-year-old decorated retired Army officer defrauded of ₹58.68 lakhs, sought a direction under s. 528 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita & Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (“BNSS”) to compel the trial court to expedite proceedings. Despite 61 hearing dates since September 2021, only two prosecution witnesses had testified because the accused repeatedly secured exemptions from personal appearance and the jail authorities routinely failed to produce under-trial prisoners.

Justice N. S. Shekhawat used the petition to issue a seminal ruling that (a) trials in which either the complainant or the accused is a senior citizen must be taken up on priority and concluded within a judicially fixed time-frame, and (b) trial courts must exercise “measured and sparing” discretion while granting exemptions from personal appearance.

2. Summary of the Judgment

Expedition Order: The trial court at S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali) is directed to complete the trial within eight months of receiving the High Court’s order.
Administrative Directions: The District & Sessions Judge (DSJ) must convene a meeting of all judicial officers in the district within one week to sensitise them that (i) cases involving senior citizens require priority, and (ii) exemptions from appearance should be granted only on “reasonable grounds”. Copies of the order must be circulated to every officer who handled the case and placed before the Administrative Judge of the district.
No Notice to Accused: To avoid further delay, the Court declined to issue notice to the accused, stating the order does not prejudice them.
Constitutional Foundation: Reaffirmed that the right to a speedy trial is an integral facet of Article 21 of the Constitution.

3. Analysis

3.1 Precedents Cited

Kartar Singh v. State of Punjab, 1994 (2) RCR 169 – recognised speedy trial as a fundamental right, tracing it to the Magna Carta and Sixth Amendment jurisprudence in the U.S.
Hussainara Khatoon (series) v. State of Bihar, 1979-1980 – seminal for reading speedy trial into Article 21 and holding that any “procedure” that is not reasonably quick fails the “fair, just, and reasonable” test.
Abdul Rehman Antulay v. R.S. Nayak, 1992 (1) SCC 225 – laid down eleven illustrative propositions guiding courts in adjudicating complaints of trial-delay. Justice Shekhawat quotes these propositions almost verbatim, signalling their continued vitality.

3.2 Legal Reasoning

Justice Shekhawat’s reasoning proceeds in four steps:

Constitutional Embedment: The Court reiterates that Article 21’s guarantee of life and personal liberty cannot coexist with protracted criminal processes. Reliance on Kartar Singh and Hussainara serves to show that both accused and victims have a stake in swift justice.
Systemic Responsibility: Citing para 5 of Antulay, the judgment recognises “systemic delay” (e.g., inadequate production of under-trials, crowded dockets), but emphasises that such systemic failures cannot override fundamental rights.
Abuse of Exemptions: The core factual trigger—40 separate exemptions to two prime accused—demonstrates misuse of s. 205 CrPC (now mirrored in s. 257 BNSS). The Court stresses that “leniency is never expected in such serious crimes”; hence, exemptions must be exceptional, reasoned, and recorded.
Senior-Citizen Priority: The Court synthesises existing Supreme Court dicta with the ageing-population reality to declare a specific, enforceable priority rule for trials involving senior-citizen complainants or accused.

3.3 Impact of the Judgment

Template for District-Level Monitoring: Requiring the DSJ to convene a meeting and disseminate the order transforms a single-case ruling into a systemic directive. Other High Courts may adopt similar practice.
Operationalising BNSS Section 528: Though s. 528 BNSS is largely the successor to s. 407 CrPC (revisionary powers), this decision demonstrates its potency as a vehicle for process-centric relief without touching the merits.
Restraint on Exemption Orders: Trial courts will likely tighten scrutiny of exemption applications, insisting on documentary justification and perhaps requiring video-conference participation where feasible.
Victim-Centric Accelerated Calendar: The ruling signals a pivot from an accused-centric speedy-trial narrative to an inclusive model where victims—particularly vulnerable groups such as senior citizens—can demand expedition.

4. Complex Concepts Simplified

Speedy Trial: The constitutional promise that criminal proceedings—from investigation to final appeal—must conclude within a “reasonable” time. What is “reasonable” depends on case complexity, court workload, and conduct of the parties.
Exemption from Personal Appearance: An accused may request permission to skip a particular hearing, usually under s. 205 CrPC / s. 257 BNSS, by showing medical or other unavoidable reasons. The court must record reasons before granting; repeated or frivolous exemptions defeat trial expedition.
Section 528 BNSS (2023): Broadly mirrors s. 407 CrPC, empowering High Courts to transfer, consolidate, or issue supervisory directions to ensure justice. Here, it is invoked prophylactically to accelerate a trial rather than transfer it.
Article 21 of the Constitution: Provides that “No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.” Courts have read into this a bundle of procedural rights, including the right to speedy trial.

5. Conclusion

Key Takeaways:

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has crystallised a principle that criminal cases involving senior-citizen stakeholders deserve priority scheduling and time-bound disposal.
Exemptions from appearance are no longer a matter of routine; trial courts must exercise disciplined discretion and record cogent reasons.
The judgment showcases how supervisory powers under the new BNSS can be harnessed to rectify systemic delays without interfering with the merits of a case.
By pairing judicial directions with administrative oversight (mandatory DSJ meeting, copy to Administrative Judge), the Court provides a replicable model for improving trial efficiency across districts.

In the broader legal landscape, Dhillon re-centres victims—especially the elderly—within the constitutional guarantee of speedy justice, signalling that the criminal process must be both swift and humane. It is likely to be cited not only for its constitutional analysis but also as a practical manual on how High Courts can intervene early to prevent the criminal docket from degenerating into a Kafkaesque ordeal.