G. B. PATTANAIK, J.

( 1 ) THE petitioners have invoked the inherent jurisdiction of this Court to quash the criminal proceedings in G. R. Case No. 47 of 1979 pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jeypore, solely on the ground that gross delay in the commencement of the trial constitutes denial of justice and allowing such proceedings to continue after long lapse of years would not only cause gross miscarriage of justice, but also violates the constitutional guarantee of a speedy trial envisaged in Art. 21 of the Constitution.

( 2 ) IT is alleged by the prosecution in the F. I. R. lodged by the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies and the Secretary of the Koraput Central Co-operative Bank Limited, Jeypore, that petitioner K. Achuta Rao while working as a Junior Accountant during the period from 6-1-1971 to 21-6-1972 and petitioner S. S. Goudo while working as an Assistant Superintendent during the period from 29-4-1970 to 3-4-1972, along with some others misappropriated a huge sum of about Rs. 4 lakhs and on the basis of the said report lodged during Jan. , 1979, the police submitted charge-sheet on 3-9-1984 against three accused persons showing other four accused