SC asks Karnataka to provide infrastructure for special UAPA court

The Supreme Court has directed the Karnataka government to establish an additional special court for handling cases under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). This follows a plea filed by Shahid Khan, an accused in a PFI conspiracy case involving 707 prosecution witnesses. The court emphasized that the state cannot afford to prolong the trial for years and highlighted the existing workload of 97 trials pending in the special court.

The court also criticized the length of the order passed by the trial court rejecting an interim bail application, noting that it could have been completed in a one-page order. The Presiding Officer of the special court will examine the three protected witnesses and the other vital witnesses within three months to ensure the material evidence for the prosecution is recorded.

The trial court's order rejecting the interim bail application for Shahid Khan, who has been in custody for nearly four years, was also criticized for its length, with the CJI suggesting it could have been completed in a single page.