MP High Court Designates Four Fast-Track Courts For Paper Leak Cases Across State
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has designated four Special Fast-Track Courts to exclusively try offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and related offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
MP High Court Constitutes Fast-Track Courts For Public Examination Offences
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has designated four Special Fast-Track Courts across the State for the speedy trial of offences under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, in a move aimed at ensuring swift action against paper leak and examination malpractice cases. The notification comes amid a nationwide push to strengthen the legal response against organised examination fraud following the Centre's announcement on setting up dedicated fast-track courts for such offences.
The notification, issued on July 24 by the High Court in exercise of powers under Section 8(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Section 9(3) of CrPC), designates four courts of Shri Praveen Patel, XVIII District and Additional Sessions Judge, Bhopal; Shri Vishal Akhand, VIII District and Additional Sessions Judge, Gwalior; Shri Anand Kumar Sehlam, XXVII District and Additional Sessions Judge, Jabalpur; and Dr. Smt. Shubhra Singh, XXVI District and Additional Sessions Judge, Indore as "Specially Designated Fast Track Courts" for conducting trials under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, along with offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, connected to such cases.
The order states that the designated courts will also hear "the matter linked thereto investigated by the Agency as the State/Central Government may refer." It further clarifies that the Special Courts "are also entrusted with the powers of Judicial Magistrate First Class to deal with the cases."
According to the notification, the Bhopal court will exercise jurisdiction over Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen, Betul, Narmadapuram, Harda, Rajgarh and Vidisha districts. The Gwalior court will cover Gwalior, Tikamgarh, Sheopur, Bhind, Morena, Guna, Shivpuri, Datia and Ashoknagar.
The Jabalpur Special Court has been assigned jurisdiction over Jabalpur, Chhatarpur, Narsinghpur, Damoh, Seoni, Satna, Panna, Shahdol, Katni, Anuppur, Mandla, Sagar, Chhindwara, Rewa, Sidhi, Balaghat, Dindori, Umaria and Singrauli. The Indore court will hear cases arising from Indore, Dhar, Ratlam, Jhabua, Mandsaur, West Nimar, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Agar-Malwa, East Nimar, Neemuch, Barwani, Alirajpur and Burhanpur.
The High Court has also clarified that the headquarters of the Special Courts and their respective territorial jurisdictions will remain as specified in the notification.
The designation follows recent initiatives by the Union Government to establish dedicated courts for paper leak cases, with the objective of ensuring faster trials and stronger deterrence against organised examination-related offences across the country.