S. Nagamuthu. J.

1. The salutary concept of “Fair Trial” which has received recognition under the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948” and guarantee under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, has received wider interpretation at the hands of the Hon'ble Supreme Court so as to include fair investigation of a crime as well. Thus, prompt registration of a case by a competent police officer followed by swift investigation resulting in a quick final report are all concomitants of a fair trial. To be fair to the victim, fair to the accused and fair to the society at large are the Constitutional obligations of the police. If there is any deviance, it is likely to result in failure of justice. That is the reason why a Constitution Bench of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Lalita Kumari Vs. Government of U.P. and Others reported in 2013 (6) CTC 353 has issued as many as eight directions in the matter of registration of a case. But, the instant case illustrates as to how an information, promptly launched, has taken a long journey, changing many hands and at last landed in the hands of a Sub-Inspector of Police for investigation after ten months of its launching. Now let us t