Srinagar, Dec. 30 -- In what it described as "testimony to the systemic delay in disposal of criminal cases", the High Court of J&K and Ladakh on Monday closed a case by imposing fine of Rs 5000 on a woman from Uri, who suffered the ordeal of prolonged proceedings for 46 years in an incident of culpable homicide, not amounting to murder.

Justice Sanjay Parihar disposed of the case of Shameema Begum residing in the Bijhama area of border town of Uri and termed her case a "testimony to the systemic delay in the disposal of criminal cases".

On July 10, 1979, Shameema and her mother-in-law had a brawl. In a fit of rage, Shameema gave a blow with an axe to her mother-in-law even when the grandmother of her husband, who was nearby, tried to i...