Supreme Court Slams Maharashtra Government Over Delays in Criminal Trials

On Friday, July 10, 2026, the Supreme Court of India strongly criticized the Maharashtra government for routinely opposing bail applications "tooth and nail" while failing to ensure that criminal trials are conducted without undue delay. Hearing an appeal by a foreign national, Kelvin Chindozie Okoro, the apex court directed the state government to submit an affidavit detailing its policies to address these systemic delays.

The division bench, comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu, noted a "disturbing" trend in the state's judicial process. The court highlighted that the petitioner, Okoro, has remained in custody for over four years in a case involving allegations of kidnapping, murder, and rioting. Despite his prolonged incarceration, the prosecution has examined only two out of 45 witnesses.

"The State opposes the prayer for bail tooth and nail, but when it comes to discharging its obligation of conducting the trial without undue delay, it is found to be totally lacking," the Bench observed during the hearing.

Justice Amanullah expressed serious reservations regarding the slow pace of trials in Maharashtra, pointing out that the state government frequently faces scrutiny for delays that lead to prolonged detention of undertrial prisoners. The judge remarked that the state exhibited "double standards" by aggressively opposing bail while showing no progress on the ground.

In response, the counsel representing the Maharashtra government admitted the lapse, stating that the state is attempting to improve. The counsel requested an opportunity to file a detailed counter-affidavit explaining the slow progress and suggested calling for a report from the trial court to identify administrative issues.

The Supreme Court directed the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit by July 24, 2026. The affidavit must outline a specific policy or mechanism the state proposes to implement to prevent accused individuals from being deprived of their liberty due to institutional limitations.

Despite the sharp criticism of the state's delays, the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to Okoro at this stage, dismissing his petition after concluding that no case for bail had been made out. Okoro was arrested on May 7, 2022, and his previous bail applications had been rejected by the Bombay High Court, which had earlier directed the trial court to expedite and conclude his trial within one year.