India, Feb. 21 -- The Orissa high court granted bail to an accused who had been in custody for over 6 years for duping people of over Rs.31 crore in a ponzi scheme, stating that detention for such a long period violates the right to a speedy trial.

"True it is that what extent of time would be considered as an infringement of right to speedy trial has not been defined in any statute, but by any standard, the detention of the petitioner in custody for around more than 6 and half years as has been found in this case is considered to be infringement of right to speedy trial as guaranteed to the petitioner under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," a single bench of justice Gourishankar Satapathy said in a February 18 order.

Dilip Ranj...