HC disposes of petition on missing ‘saroops’

Acting on a petition alleging negligence by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in handling “328 Saroops of Guru Granth Sahib” that allegedly went missing from its Publication Department, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed hope that appropriate steps will be taken in the matter “in a time-bound as expeditiously as possible”.

The assertion came as the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry disposed of a petition filed by Gurvatan Singh and other petitioners against the state and other respondents. They were, among other things, seeking directions to the state to decide a legal notice dated March 11 and representations dated November 21, 2024, given by them in the matter.

The Bench was told that a report was submitted following “investigating regarding the reduction of the holy form of Guru Granth Sahib from the records of the Publication Department of the SGPC”. It was accepted by the Secretariat of Akal Takht and the SGPC. The petitioners also placed before the Bench the complete investigative report dated August 23, 2020, by advocate Dr Ishar Singh.

“When there was no consideration on the representations by the respondents, the petitioners gave a legal notice stating all facts. But no reply till date has been received by the petitioners…,” it was added.

The Bench’s attention during the course of hearing was drawn to a letter dated August 18 by the “Secretary, Department of Home” addressed to the Punjab Director-General of Police requesting for taking appropriate action in accordance with law on the legal notice dated March 11.

“In view of the above, since the functionaries of the state have initiated action in respect of the cause raised, the court would not like to keep the petition pending, and the same is disposed of with the hope and expectation that appropriate steps would be taken in a time-bound as expeditiously as possible.”