Punjab and Haryana High Court to DGP: Explain why cheating case pending for over eight years

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 27

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the DGP to explain the dragging of a case, involving “public money of crores”, for over eight years. The state police chief has been asked to furnish his “own” affidavit in the matter. Describing the fact as “disturbing”, the High Court also made it clear that the matter required a thorough probe.

The case was brought to the notice of Justice Anil Kshetarpal’s Bench after Sukhdev Singh filed a petition against Punjab for the grant of anticipatory bail in an FIR registered on September 30, 2013, for cheating, criminal breach of trust and another offence under Sections 406, 420 and 34, IPC, at Dayalpura police station in Bathinda.

Justice Kshetarpal asserted the prosecution’s case was that the petitioner was a partner in firm running a rice mill. There was shortage of 22,309 bags of paddy. The estimated value of the paddy, belonging to a PSU and assigned to the rice mill for de-husking, was Rs 1,36,00,000.

Justice Kshetarpal took note of the contention by the petitioner’s counsel that the rice milled on receipt of the paddy had already been supplied and the shortfall, if any, was regarding the previous year. The petitioner was in custody in a case involving NDPS Act, 1985, on June 8, 2013. As such, the petitioner couldn’t be said to have caused the deficiency.

As per the allegations, the public money was involved. Apparently, there was no reason for the investigating agency in not taking appropriate steps for completion of the probe during these eight years. As such, the explanation could only be given by the investigating agency.

“Hence, the DGP is directed to verify the correct facts and file his own affidavit, explaining the reasons as to why the investigating agency dragged this matter for so long,” Justice Kshetarpal directed.

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