The Allahabad High Court Lucknow Bench granted anticipatory bail in a 2001 Bahraich kidnapping case and observed that the criminal justice system cannot be identified with 'tareekh pe tareekh'.
Justice Rajeev Bharti's Bench made the observation during the hearing on 18 July 2026. The court stated that keeping a criminal case pending for over two decades violates the right to speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The case was registered at Payagpur Police Station in Bahraich in 2001. Accused Ajay Kumar alias Chingi and the victim later married and now have three children. The government counsel confirmed these facts.
The High Court accepted the anticipatory bail pleas of Ajay Kumar alias Chingi and Ram Chandra. Both were directed to surrender before the trial court within two weeks. The court clarified that its observations would not affect the final decision on merits.
