LI Network
Published on: January 16, 2024 at 19:10 IST
In a stern response to the failure of Station House Officers (SHOs) to arrest an accused who has been declared a Proclaimed Offender in 19 out of 33 criminal cases since 2022, the Punjab & Haryana High Court has issued an order for the attachment of the salaries of the concerned SHOs.
Justice Harpreet Singh Brar, presiding over the case, expressed dismay at the persistent neglect of duty by jurisdictional police officers despite repeated court orders.
Justice Brar remarked, “In spite of repeated orders passed by this Court on various occasions, no tangible efforts have been made to comply with the same. This conspicuous failure to perform their duty by jurisdictional Police Officers leaves this Court with no other option but to attach the salaries of the respective Station House Officers in whose Police Stations the investigation of these cases is pending or the escapee is declared as Proclaimed Offender.”
The Court addressed a plea filed in 2021 by a relative of the escapee, Amandeep Singh ‘Skoda,’ who alleged false implication in a criminal case with collusion between the police and Aman Skoda.
Seeking an update on the investigation, the court directed the Director General of Police, Punjab, to provide an affidavit. The subsequent affidavit revealed Skoda’s involvement in 31 criminal cases across six districts, with a Proclaimed Offender status in 19 out of 33 cases.
Despite two years passing since the court’s directive to the Director General of Police, Punjab, the court noted a “complete lull in the investigation” in its previous order in November. Granting another opportunity to the police authorities, the court expressed hope that effective measures would be taken to uphold the rule of law.
During the recent proceedings, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Fazilka, assured the court that the escapee would be apprehended within four weeks. Criticizing the investigating agency for the failure to act, the court stated, “Neither has the escapee been arrested till now nor any efforts have been made to follow the drill of Section 83 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, regardless of filing the affidavit dated 17.08.2021, by the Director General of Police, Punjab.”
Consequently, the Court directed the attachment of salaries of the concerned SHOs and mandated the Punjab Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, to submit an affidavit detailing the necessary steps within one week. The case is adjourned to February 29 for further proceedings.
Case Title: LOVELJIT SINGH V/S STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS
