Cop to pay Rs 25K for neglecting aged woman’s plaint against son

Tribune News Service

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, May 1

For ensuring accountability within law enforcement agencies and underscoring the importance of prompt redressal mechanisms for citizen grievances, the Punjab and Haryana High court has imposed costs on a police officer for his failure to act on an aged mother’s complaint against her “unruly and defiant son”.

“Having failed to redress the grievance of the petitioner-mother despite repeated representations and forcing her to come to this court, respondent-Station House Officer, Ranjit Avenue police station, Amritsar, is burdened with Rs 25,000 costs, which shall be paid to her within seven days… In case the needful is not done, the costs shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue from the respondent by the District Magistrate, Amritsar,” Justice Harkesh Manuja asserted.

The amount might appear nominal at the first glance, but the court’s decision is significant as the imposition of costs is expected to serve as a crucial deterrent against delays in addressing the citizen’s grievances.

The matter was brought to Justice Manuja’s notice after the mother filed a petition seeking protection of her life and liberty from her “rebellious son”. The Bench was told that he was compelling and threatening her to sell all properties left by her husband, rather than serving his old mother.

Her counsel added three e-mails were sent to the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner of Police, informing him about the grievance and threats faced by the petitioner. She even appeared before the SHO concerned and got her statement recorded on September 5, 2023, expressing concern about her life and liberty. But the representations fell on deaf ears of the authorities concerned, compelling her to file the petition.

The state counsel, on the other hand, submitted no such representation was received by the office of SHO concerned, though a complaint at the emergency response system was received and the action on it was in progress.

Justice Manuja asserted the record’s perusal showed that repeated emails were sent on the email ID of the Deputy Commissioner of Police from her brother’s mail. She even appeared before the SHO concerned and got her statement recorded. But action was never taken on the representations of “the old lady being troubled by her unruly and defiant son, who rather than serving her aged mother at this stage, is only concerned about the property left by his deceased father”.

Before parting with the order, Justice Manuja asserted: “In such circumstances, having failed to perform their duties, the official respondents have unnecessarily compelled the petitioner to approach this court about redressal of her grievance…. The Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, is directed to look into the representations submitted by the petitioner and to take all necessary steps in accordance with law in furtherance thereof.”

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