Bid to hasten things up in cases against lawmakers: HC

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 12

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that efforts, in its opinion, were being made to get things done quickly in the cases registered against sitting or former MPs and MLAs in Punjab.

The assertion came after the Bench of Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Sandeep Moudgil noticed that cancellation/untraced reports had been prepared but not submitted to the courts in most of the cases. In some other cases, the reports stood presented to the courts. “The impression gathered by the court is that the effort is being made to push through things without really looking into the true aspect of the investigation and the conclusions thereof,” the Bench asserted.

Study reports before submission, IGP told

• The HC directed IGP, Crime, to look into cancellation/untraced reports before proceeding to submit the same to courts
• Directions were also issued for submission of compliance report in the matter prior to the next date of hearing

For dispelling the opinion, the Bench directed the IGP, Crime, to personally look into the reports before proceeding to submit the same to courts, if satisfied. Directions were also issued for the submission of compliance report in the matter prior to the next date of hearing. The Bench was hearing suo motu or court on its own motion matter “In Re: Special Courts for MPs/MLAs” for monitoring the progress of cases pending against the MP/MLAs. Referring to an affidavit dated November 8 filed by the IGP, the Bench observed as many as 32 cases were under trial. In eight out of 10 other cases, cancellation/untraced reports had also been presented.

The Bench also took on record submissions by Punjab’s Senior Deputy Advocate General Gaurav Garg Dhuriwala that only 19 cases were pending investigation in the state. All efforts were being made to expedite the process of investigation and conclude the same.

Dhuriwala also prayed for six weeks to conclude the investigations before submitting a specific report indicating the progress. He reiterated that progress of investigation was being personally monitored by the IGP, Crime, in compliance with court order and in pursuance to Supreme Court directions.