PRAYAGRAJ, Nov. 26 -- The Allahabad high court has pulled up a trial court in Prayagraj for its "lethargic" handling of a 20-year-old criminal case, observing that a 73-year-old accused has been "victimised" due to routine adjournments and the prosecution's failure to produce even a single witness to date. "The Judiciary, like all other organs of the state, is equally accountable to the people. The presiding officer of the trial court, therefore, has to realize his accountability to the common man," the court said. Justice Vivek Kumar Singh directed the trial court to conclude the trial in which Shrish Kumar Malviya, the 73-year-old accused, within one month or face disciplinary proceedings. The applicant has been facing prosecution under Section 129 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, since 2005. The offence carries a maximum punishment of six months, yet the proceedings have dragged on for 20 years. Reviewing the lower court's order sheet, Justice Singh noted that while the accused had been regularly appearing, the prosecution had not produced a single witness. "This is a very serious matter, where a senior citizen, aged about 73 years, is being victimized by the trial court and prima facie, from perusal of records, it appears that the trial court is lethargic in functioning its duty and doing nothing except granting unnecessary adjournments, sought on behalf of the prosecution," the court observed. "The trial court completely ignored the directions issued by this Court as well as by the Hon'ble Apex Court, wherein, it is directed that old cases should be disposed of/decided at the earliest," the high court said in its order dated November 20, emphasising the importance of speedy trial....