Delhi High Court Calls For Publication Of Names Of All Proclaimed Offenders & Proclaimed Persons On Online Portal

The Delhi High Court has called for a meeting for working out the modalities to include the names of all the Proclaimed Offenders and the Proclaimed Persons on a user-friendly portal on Internet.

Justice Talwant Singh directed the Principal District and Sessions Judge (Head Quarters) to hold the meeting between August 16 to August 30 and added that the same must also be attended by DCP-Legal, DCP-Crime of the Delhi Police, responsible officers from Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS), National Informatics Centre (NIC), Chief Metropolitan Magistrates from at least three districts, one Additional Sessions Judge and one Special Judge, CBI.

"The said team will meet at least once in a fortnight for working out the modalities to have the names of all the Proclaimed Offenders (POs) and the Proclaimed Persons (PPs) on a User-friendly Portal on Internet," the Court directed.

It added "Data available with the police regarding the said POs and PPs as well as the data available with the Courts of learned ASJs/Special Judges/ CMMs/ MMs, especially in complaint cases under Section 138 NI Act and other IPC offences be dig out, refixed and uploaded. In the first phase data be uploaded from the year 2000 onwards."

The Court had earlier called for a detailed report suggesting ways to streamline the system so that the names and particulars of the persons who have been declared as proclaimed offenders or proclaimed persons in police cases as well as in complaint cases are published in public domain so that further steps may be taken to bring such persons before respective Courts to face trials.

As per the compliance report filed before the Court, it was suggested that necessary provisions may be incorporated in ICJS with regards to declaration of Proclaimed Offenders, followed by the necessary updations.

It was also stated that the updated list may be published in Public Domain and that at present, the scanned copies of Chargesheets, FIR, Arrest Memo, details of the Investigating Officers, accused, victim(s) etc, which are already uploaded in CCTNS by Delhi Police, are reflected in ICJS.

It was also suggested that a Committee consisting of Judicial officers, Police officers and ICJS team of NIC may be constituted, who could examine the process in the larger perspective as well as its implementation in an error free manner.

The Court was also informed that the constitution of Committee was necessary for the reason that keeping the records of proclaimed offenders in public domain was a very sensitive matter and any minor error in publishing the details and any follow up action by any government agencies or public may have severe legal ramification as well as negative publicity.

While calling the meeting, the Court also added that a mechanism must also be worked out by the team to delete the name of those proclaimed offenders and proclaimed persons against whom the proceedings under sec. 82 and 83 Cr.P.C. stand recalled.

"The minutes of these meetings be sent to this Court after every meeting. A consolidated compliance report be filed before this Court on 28.10.2022 giving details of the exercise completed so far and future cause of action," the Court ordered.

The Court also requested the District and Sessions Judge (HQ) to ensure that the data available with respective Courts Record Rooms be searched and a districtwise consolidated list of the proclaimed offenders and persons is supplied to the authorities for uploading the same on the proposed portal or the website.

The matter will now be heard on October 28.

Case Title: NEETU SINGH v. STATE OF NCT OF DELHI

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