Mumbai court ends Rs 7.65 theft case after 50 years: ‘No point in keeping it pending’

Courts have recently closed several long-forgotten cases, including a 30-year-old matter under the Passport Act and Foreigners Act where the accused disappeared after the chargesheet was filed. (Representative image)

• Mumbai court closes 1977 theft case after decades of no progress
• Accused were never traced; Rs 7.65 to be returned or credited to government
• Courts are shutting long-pending cases with no realistic chance of resolution

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Almost five decades after a theft of Rs 7.65 was registered in Mumbai, a magistrate’s court has finally drawn the curtain on a case that refused to move forward. The 1977 matter, involving two unidentified accused and a complainant who vanished over the years, had remained stuck in limbo despite repeated police efforts, reported news agency PTI.

The decision is part of a broader push by courts to unclog dockets weighed down by cases that have effectively gone cold, with no realistic chance of resolution.

Quietly gathered dust

The Mazagaon magistrate’s court noted that the case had remained stagnant for decades. In its order, the court observed that the matter had stayed “pending unnecessarily without progress”, a situation that served no legal purpose anymore.

The accused, described only as two unidentified men, were never traced despite the issuance of non-bailable warrants. With no movement for years, the file slipped into cold storage, joining countless others that quietly gather dust in court record rooms.

‘No point’ in waiting any longer

Judicial Magistrate First Class Aarti Kulkarni, in an order dated January 14, made it clear that the justice system could not afford endless waiting. “More than sufficient time is taken. There is no point in keeping the matter pending,” the court said, formally closing the case.

The two accused, booked under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for theft, were discharged. The court also passed directions regarding the stolen Rs 7.65, ordering that it be returned to the complainant. If the informant cannot be traced, the amount will eventually be credited to the government account after the appeal period.

The law and the logic

The court pointed out that the theft involved a sum below Rs 2,000, making it fit for a summary procedure under Section 260 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Such provisions allow for “summary trials” in minor offences to ensure speed and efficiency -- an objective clearly defeated in a case that lingered for nearly half a century.

Long-forgotten cases

The Rs 7.65 theft is not alone. Courts have recently closed several long-forgotten cases, including a 30-year-old matter under the Passport Act and Foreigners Act where the accused disappeared after the chargesheet was filed. A 2003 rash driving case was also shut after police confirmed that the accused, the informant, and all witnesses were untraceable.