Strange that Punjab Police have failed to probe case in 7 years: High Court

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 19

In an embarrassment for the Punjab Police, the High Court has described as strange the investigating officer’s failure to file challan or the final investigating report for more than seven years in a case alleging house trespass, theft and other offences.

The observation came as Justice Harkesh Manuja set an eight-week deadline for Tarn Taran Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for getting the needful done.

The matter was brought to the HC’s notice after an accused filed a petition against the state of Punjab and other respondents for the grant of anticipatory bail in the case registered in February 2016 under Sections 399, 380, 402, 457 and 411 of the IPC and provisions of the Arms Act at the Tarn Taran city police station.

After arguing the mater for some time, the counsel for the petitioner prayed for the withdrawal of the petition. Dismissing the petition as withdrawn after accepting the counsel’s plea, Justice Manuja asserted: “It is strange that the investigating agency has not been able to conclude the investigation and file the final report before the Illaqa Magistrate even after the expiry of more than seven years of the registration of the FIR.”

Considering the fact that there was inordinate delay in the conclusion of the investigation, Justice Manuja directed the SSP to “look into the matter and get the needful done within a period of eight weeks from today followed by filing of his own affidavit within a week thereafter before the Registry of the court regarding compliance”.

The court was assisted in the matter by advocate Harmanpreet Singh and state counsel Tarun Aggarwal.

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