In a recent hearing, the Supreme Court expressed shock at an undertrial not being produced physically before the trial court near Mumbai for 55 of the 85 hearings in the case pending against him. It said that the production of an accused before the court is not only to ensure a speedy trial but, more importantly, is a safeguard so that the prisoner is not abused otherwise, and so that he comes directly in contact with the court to air his grievances, if any, against the authorities.

The court’s rap was followed by directions to the Maharashtra prisons chief to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report in two months.

This is not an exceptional case when it comes to an undertrial’s prolonged absence in court. With jails and courts spread across over 50 km in the Mumbai Metro

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