Police officer under HC lens over phone call record misuse

The functioning of a Punjab cop — earlier posted as the Zirakpur SHO and now head of Pairvi Cell — has come under judicial lens amid allegations that he had procured a woman’s call detail records in an unrelated case and passed them on to a person he had allegedly connived with.

Taking up the petition filed by the woman seeking protection of her life and liberty after alleging harassment at the hands of respondent-police official, Justice Alok Jain of the Punjab and Haryana High Court warned: “Let his record be checked as to on how many dates he visited the High Court on account of being the head of Pairvi Cell. In case it is found that he came today only to follow up this matter, then serious action needs to be taken against him.”

The petitioner, through her counsel Jatin Bansal, had alleged that the respondent-police official, when he was the SHO, had procured her call detail records by mentioning her telephone number in an unknown FIR in which she was not even an accused or party. “After getting the said call records, the same have been forwarded by him to another respondent with whom he is in connivance and is harassing the petitioner”.

Taking up the matter, Justice Jain observed that a report was called from the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police concerned. But interestingly, the respondent-police official was present in the court. The Bench also took note of the state counsel’s contention that he had been appointed as head of Pairvi Cell before calling for an examination of the record on his court attendance to see whether he had appeared before the court only to follow up the matter.

Appearing for the state of Punjab, AAG Amandeep Singh Samra, during the course of hearing, submitted that the SSP was looking into the matter and the petitioner had already been called to record her statement. The authorities, he assured, would proceed in the matter in accordance with law.

Bansal, on the other hand, reiterated that the woman was being pressured by the police official and the other respondent to withdraw her complaint and the present petition.

After hearing the counsel for the parties and the assurance given by the state counsel that the SSP was looking into the matter, Justice Jain fixed the case for further hearing on September 15.

“As regards the action to be taken by the authorities against respondent-police official, the same shall also find a mention in the status report to be filed,” the Bench concluded.