In Brief

The Supreme Court examined whether charge sheets filed in English by the CBI in Madhya Pradesh—where Hindi is the court language under Section 272 of the CrPC—must be translated into Hindi at State expense. The Court held that Section 272 governs only court proceedings, not investigating agencies' records. No CrPC provision mandates charge sheets be filed in the court's language. Non-supply of translation does not vitiate proceedings unless failure of justice is established. Translations must be supplied only if the accused personally defends without counsel and cannot understand the original language. In the VYAPAM fraud cases before the Court, both accused were educated, the offence required English knowledge, and their advocates understood English—thus, denying translation caused no injustice. The appeals succeeded.

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