Obese Haryana cops in trouble as accused flee in many cases

Saurabh Malik

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Chandigarh, May 10

The Haryana Police have run into trouble because overweight cops could not chase and catch even the aged suspects in drugs and excise cases.

Alarming situation

Taking cognisance of the “alarming situation” brought about by the failure of the policemen to nab the accused fleeing from the spot in 4,664 FIRs under the Excise Act and 1,005 FIRs under the NDPS Act, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Director-General of Police to seek a report from all Senior Superintendents of Police

Taking cognisance of the “alarming situation” brought about by the failure of the policemen to nab the accused fleeing from the spot in 4,664 FIRs under the Excise Act and 1,005 FIRs under the NDPS Act, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked the Director-General of Police (DGP) to seek a report from all Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP).

Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan made it clear that the reports would elaborate upon “the actual physical fitness training imparted to police officials, who were overweight and could not run to catch the suspect”.

Justice Sangwan also directed that the DGP to file an affidavit, deposing about the procedure established for taking action against the SHO concerned or the investigating officer in matters where the suspects managed to flee the spot in excise and drug cases.

He was also directed to furnish details of action taken against such officials.

Justice Sangwan added the affidavit, accompanied by photographs and videos, should clearly elaborate upon the actual physical training imparted under medical supervision to keep the overweight police officials physically fit.

Such training, Justice Sangwan added, was required to be given to both men and women police officials below 40.

Justice Sangwan added the figures were “very high and alarming”, showing delinquency on the part of the police officials. As a result, a large number of accused succeeded in running away from the spot. In some cases, the accused ran away even after they were apprehended by the police.

Fixing a three-month deadline for the purpose, Justice Sangwan also took note of a proposal approved on October 29, 2021, by the Home Department for a mandatory bi-annual health check up of all police personnel above 35 through government medical hospitals/colleges. The case will now come up for further hearing in the third week of August.

The case has its genesis in a petition seeking interim anticipatory bail to an accused.

Justice Sangwan had described as “unbelievable” the fact that the petitioner could not be apprehended on the spot despite the presence of a number of police officials.

They were acting on the basis of secret information, in which the description of the scooter and the petitioner was given. Accordingly, the DGP was directed to file an affidavit giving details of case under the Excise and the NDPS Act, in which the accused succeeded in running away from the spot.