'Investigation Status In 124 Cases Unknown For Years': High Courts Flags Haryana Police Inaction, Seeks List Of SPs In Sirsa District Since 2015
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has flagged the inaction of Haryana Superintendents of Police posted in Sirsa district in monitoring the investigation in criminal cases now pending for several years.
Justice NS Shekhawat while perusing the record said, "...this Court has reasons to believe that various investigations conducted in District Sirsa in different cases have not been monitored properly by the Superintendents of Police who remained posted in District Sirsa since the year 2015."
Consequently, the Court sought a fresh affidavit with regard to the progress of investigation in 124 cases which have been pending for more than 3 years.
It also sought to be apprises with regard to the action taken against the erring police officials, who either did not arrest the accused for several years or who failed to collect the official records.
The development came while hearing the pre-arrest bail pleas in the cases pertaining to fraud pending since 8 years in Haryana's Sirsa, wherein now the police wanted to arrest accused.
Previously, the Court had directed to file list of all cases in each police station of Sirsa District, where the investigation is pending for the last more than 03 years and was also directed to explain the reasons for delay in conducting the investigation in each of such cases.
Perusing the affidavit, the Court highlighted the lackadaisical approach of police and observed, "the FSL report is awaited for the last 05/06 years, which is highly unbelievable."
In the present proceeding, while referring to the record of cases pending for more than 03 years, the judge noted that, "few of the accused persons in those cases were not arrested by the police for the reasons best known to the investigating officers of those cases."
"...it has been simply mentioned that the arrest of the accused was pending. Apparently, neither they were declared proclaimed offenders/proclaimed persons in those cases nor their properties were attached by the police by following the due process of law. Even the status of investigation against such accused persons is unknown," it added.
In various criminal cases, the Court found that, "the official record could not be collected by the investigating officers for the last several years from the Government offices."
In the present case the Court noted that, the Superintendent of Police informed the Court that 14 SITs were formed and the matter was investigated by the 29 investigating officers. "In spite of that, the record of ICICI/PNB Bank with regard to the bogus firms could not be collected till 29.07.2023. Even the explanation offered by the Superintendent of Police, Sirsa has not been found satisfactory by this Court," Justice Shekhawat observed.
Consequently, while listing the matter for July 15, the Court directed the SSP, Sirsa to remain present on the next date.
Mr. Aditya Sanghi, Advocate, for the petitioner in CRM-M-19384-2024.
Mr. Aman Pal, Advocate for the petitioner in CRM-M-20090-2024 and CRM-M-20093-2024.
Mr. Rajinder Kumar Banku, DAG, Haryana.
Title: VIJAY KUMAR SINGH V. STATE OF HARYANA