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Supreme Court Slams 16-Year Delay in Acid Attack Trial

Supreme Court condemns a 16-year delay in an acid attack trial, orders all high courts to report on pending cases and ensure fast-track hearings.

December 04, 2025
in National

Supreme Court Slams 16-Year Delay in Acid Attack Trial

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The Supreme Court on Thursday strongly condemned a 16-year delay in an acid attack trial, calling it a “shame” and a “mockery of the legal system.” Taking suo motu cognisance of the prolonged pendency of such cases, the court directed all high courts across the country to submit detailed reports on pending acid attack trials within their jurisdiction.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, accompanied by Justice Joymalya Bagchi, made the sharp observations while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by acid attack survivor Shaheen Malik. The petition highlights the plight of women who are not only attacked with acid but in some cases are force-fed the corrosive substance, causing severe internal injuries.

Malik, narrating her own experience, told the court that she was attacked in 2009, yet the trial saw no progress for years. She said medical aid and compensation are more readily given to survivors whose external disfigurement is visible, while those forced to ingest acid often struggle for timely treatment or financial assistance because their internal injuries are harder to prove.

“This is unbelievable. The fact that women are still being forced to drink acid is deeply disturbing,” the Chief Justice remarked. The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to examine the possibility of amending the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 to specifically include survivors of such assaults.

During the hearing, the bench questioned the slow progress of Malik’s own case. She explained that the trial only resumed in 2013 after the intervention of a judicial officer, and it is still ongoing before a Delhi court. The Supreme Court asked her to file an application seeking fast-tracking of the proceedings, assuring that it would direct daily hearings to ensure timely justice.

The Court emphasised that all high courts must take immediate action to ensure acid attack cases are prioritised, fast-tracked, and concluded without unnecessary delay.