DELHI HIGH COURT: VICTIM HAS RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN TRIAL BUT NO RIGHT TO BE IMPLEADED IN CRIMINAL REVISION

The Delhi High Court in the case VLS Finance Ltd v. State NCT of Delhi And Ors observed that the right to be heard is given to a victim or complainant in a criminal matter cannot be uplifted to a right to be impleaded in a criminal revision.

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The bench headed by Justice Navin Chawla in the case observed that the right of the victim to participate in the trial and the proceedings which are initiated is not of a position where the victim replaces the Public Prosecutor.

The court observed that the right would remain subordinate to that of the Public Prosecutor and where the victim applies for a hearing in a Revision Petition, while the victim must be heard, thus, there is no mandate in law to implead the victim as a party.

Adding to it, the court stated that it is to be considered whether a right to be heard given to a victim/ complainant in a state case can be uplifted to a right to be impleaded in a criminal revision, if the complainant or victim applies for the same. In the opinion of the said court, the answer has to be in the negative.