In a significant ruling that keeps the high-stakes Seashore Chitfund scam investigation alive, the Orissa High Court on Thursday turned down former MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal’s plea to quash the CBI case against him.
At the same time, the court delivered a firm deadline — the trial must be completed within the next six months. Justice Dr. Sanjib Kumar Panigrahi, while hearing Biswal’s application, rejected the request for quashing but directed the trial court to wrap up proceedings expeditiously. The order comes as a clear message that delays in sensitive financial scam cases will no longer be tolerated.
The CBI had registered a case against Biswal in the Seashore Chitfund scam, leading to his arrest. Citing serious health issues, he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital for treatment. The High Court later granted him bail. During the bail hearing, the court had already directed that the trial be concluded within one year of the charge sheet being filed.
However, more than two years have passed since then with little progress in the trial. Frustrated by the delay, Biswal approached the High Court seeking to quash the entire proceedings.
Justice Panigrahi’s order strikes a balance between the accused’s right to speedy justice and the larger public interest in ensuring accountability in chit fund scams. By rejecting the quashing plea, the court has upheld the CBI’s investigation while simultaneously cracking the whip on the trial court to deliver a verdict without further procrastination.
The directive is expected to accelerate the judicial process in one of Odisha’s major financial fraud cases.
