JUDGMENT :

C.T. RAVIKUMAR, J.

1. This appeal by special leave directed against the order dated 18.04.2019 passed by the High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur in MCRC No.1730/2019, owing to various circumstances including the inordinate delay occasioned in the matter of trial, now, poses a legal conundrum. The appellant is facing trial before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Raipur in criminal case arising from FIR No.22/2015 of Police Station, New Rajendra Nagar, Raipur in the State of Chhattisgarh, registered under Sections 420, 409/34 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (hereinafter referred for short ‘IPC’) and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978 (for short ‘the Banning Act’) and Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. In terms of Section 29(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for short ‘Cr.PC’) the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Raipur where the case is now pending can only impose, in case found him guilty, a maximum corporeal punishment of a term up to 7 years even if it is of the view that the appellant deserves more severe punishment. We may hasten to clarify here that we shall not be understood to have expressed an opinion that the appellant deserves to be convicted and handed down such a sentence. Even the question whether he should be convicted or acquitted is a matter of evidence and to be decided by the trial Court, on appreciation of evidence, at the appropriate stage of trial. But then, by now the appellant had already undergone incarceration for a term of more than eight years. We do not think it just or appropriate to treat this situation as a mere happenstance and leave it there for the appellant to get resolved or remedied later. Taking note of the scope of the SLP this Court, normally, would be loath to permit the parties to submit beyond the question whether to grant or not to grant bail, but the very peculiar circumstances involved and also evolved tends us to think that disinclination to go into the legal conundrum emerging in this case may result in great miscarriage of justice in all probabilities. It is also to be noted that both sides submit and pray that appropriate orders be passed to ensure a fair trial by a court of competent jurisdiction. In such circumstances, the parties were heard in extenso.

2. We have heard Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, learned counsel for the appellant, Mr. Sourbh Roy, learned Additional Advocate General and Mr. Sumeer Sodhi, learned counsel for the respondent State.

3. We have already noted that the appellant herein has been charged for commission of various offences under the IPC including indictment under Section 409, IPC punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years and fine and under the stated provisions of the two enactments mentioned hereinbefore. Essentially, taking into account the fact that the appellant had already undergone incarceration for more than 8 years as per order dated 02.08.2023, this Court called for an affidavit from the respondent-State as to the steps taken to apprehend the other absconding accused and also indicating the stage of trial proceedings as on date.

4. In compliance with the directions in the order dated 02.08.2023, the respondent-State filed an additional affidavit. It is stated therein that with respect to the illegal Collective Investment Scheme (CIS), being run by M/s HBN Dairies and Allied Limited, the appellant and other Directors indulged in collection of huge sums of money from around 97,707 investors under false assurances and then failed to return the amount upon maturity. Two First Information Reports, including the present one being FIR No.22 of 2015 were registered. As relates the appellant herein, it is stated therein that after registration of the FIR he was abscondi