High Court questions Zero FIR in Punjab farmer Pritpal assault case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has questioned Punjab on the registration of a ‘Zero FIR’ despite the injured farmer’s categorical stand that he was picked up from Punjab and taken to Haryana before being beaten up mercilessly. The query by Justice Harkesh Manuja came less than two months after the farmer’s father alleged that the victim was put in a sack and taken away by the police after he sustained injuries during the farmers’ protest.

As the matter came up for resumed hearing, Justice Manuja asked Punjab Assistant Advocate-General to obtain specific instructions on providing complete medical record of injured, Pritpal Singh, to the probe agency.

He was also asked to apprise the court that “once the officer concerned, while registering the FIR was of the view that cognisable offence is made out based on the statement of injured, as to why ‘Zero FIR’ has been registered regarding the incident, especially when the injured specifically alleges in his statement dated March 14 that he was picked up from the territory of Punjab and taken to the territory of Haryana, where he was beaten up mercilessly”.

The state counsel, during the course of hearing, also produced the ‘Zero FIR’ registered on April 2 at the Patra police station in Patiala district on the basis of Pritpal Singh’s statement recorded on March 14. Cops present in the court during the hearing also submitted that the FIR was registered without consulting the medical records of the injured following its non-availability with them.

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