O R D E R

We have heard Shri P Vishwanath Shetty, learned senior counsel for the petitioner and Shri Suryaprakash V. Raju, learned A.S.G. for the respondent at length.

We are not inclined to interfere in the matter.

The Special Leave Petition is hence dismissed.

However, during the course of submissions, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner brought to our notice the fact that the High Court of Karnataka in the case of Shoheb Ali & Ors. Vs. State of Karnataka ( Criminal Appeal No.72/2023 ), has recorded in paragraphs 48 and 50 of the order dated 20.04.2023 that there are as many as thirty one N.I.A. cases pending before the Special Court pertaining to different years. It is useful to extract the paragraphs below:

“48. Keeping in view the aforesaid principle, we got the information and statistical data from the Registrar (Judicial) about pendency of cases before the Special Court which is dealing with NIA cases. The Statement dated 12 th April 2023 furnished by the Registrar (Judicial) depicts that as on 28 th February 2023, 31 NIA cases are pending before the Special Court pertaining to different years, the details of which are as under: