Bombay HC asks district judges to ensure working videoconference facility in trial courts

The HC asked the PDJs to verify whether reports of such meetings, if conducted, are sent to High Court administration and if meetings are discontinued for some reasons, PDJs are directed to hold such meetings periodically.

A division bench of Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Shriram M Modak passed an order while hearing habeas plea by one Sushil Lohiya, father of Brijesh Lohiya, accused by CBI for cheating and criminal conspiracy.

According to the petitioner, his son was duly arrested and produced before special court and was remanded to police custody initially and on March 8, this year, he was sent to magisterial custody and was to be produced next on March 22. On the said date, Brijesh was neither produced physically nor virtually and despite that the special judge extended the period of custody till April 5.

Considering this, the petitioner filed a habeas corpus plea seeking to set aside March 22 remand order and to direct the authority to forthwith release Brijesh from the “continued illegal detention at the Arthur Road jail”.