It was the 109th scheduled sitting in the case against Dutch national Richard de Wit, who denies murdering the 24-year-old in a houseboat in Kashmir in April 2013.
The trial has been dogged with setbacks, including repeated changes of the trial judge and prosecution and defence lawyers, and witnesses failing to arrive in court.
Following a delayed start to proceedings this week, only 90 minutes was left for the cross-examination of Senior Inspector Kuldeep Koul, the investigating officer in charge of police activities in the immediate aftermath of Miss Groves’ death.
‘Here was yet another appalling reflection on the Indian system of justice showing, once more, a complete lack of respect for a murder trial,’ said Miss Groves’ father, Vic.
‘The fact that proceedings did not commence until after three o’clock is disgraceful and unforgivable. The court opens for business at 10.30 am.
‘The fact that Kuldeep Koul first appeared in court on 25 November 2017 and that his evidence will not be heard in full until at least 5 February 2018 is disgraceful and unforgivable. This represents a period of ten weeks for one witness.
‘Two words sum up today’s proceedings – disgraceful and unforgivable.’
Meanwhile, concern has been expressed about the whereabouts of crime scene pictures and video.
Under a court order issued in favour of the Groves family in mid-2015, all crime scene photography and videography should be made available.
Most of the crime scene photographs have been released, but the whereabouts of the videography has never been established, according to Mr Groves.
Authorities say it was washed away in floods of September 2014 and denied that other copies exist.
‘The fact that the crime scene videography has disappeared off the face of the earth is disgraceful and unforgivable,’ said Mr Groves. ‘Finally, the fact that the official court papers from the last hearing on 11 December have still not been released is also disgraceful and unforgivable.’
