HC raps officer for ‘shoddy’ report, reinstates cop

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 22

Rapping senior Punjab police officer Raj Jit Singh for “greatest irresponsibility” in case of a woman constable made to lose “eight years of life by the stroke of an uncaring pen”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has left it open to the state to act against him. Raj Jit Singh had held a fact-finding inquiry before submitting a report against the woman constable discharged from service.

“It will be open to the state to take such action against Raj Jit Singh as is considered fit by the Additional Chief Secretary, Home, to inquire into the disservice done by him to the police department and for bringing untold misery and great harassment to a probationary lady constable discharged maliciously…,” Justice Rajiv Narain Raina asserted. The Bench asserted Raj Jit Singh, prima facie, acted in a manner unfair and inhuman to the constable’s plight, apart from showing lack of probity in authoring a false fact-finding report.

Ordering her reinstatement with all consequential benefits, including seniority and release of actual arrears of salary, Justice Raina added if Raj Jit Singh was indicted for making a false and fraudulent report in case a departmental inquiry was held, the cost to the state arising out of reinstatement would be ordered to be shared by him in proportion deemed fit by the competent authority.

The matter was brought to the court’s notice after the state and other appellants filed an appeal against Anita Devi challenging judgments and decree passed by the courts below, declaring that the orders discharging her from service during probation were arbitrary and illegal. The allegations against Anita Devin were that she failed the high jump test, but clandestinely slipped into the group of successful candidates at the end of the trials. In his detailed order, Justice Raina referred to the district judge’s judgment, which said it appeared Raj Jit Singh gave his report only after watching the CDs. There was absolutely nothing on the file to show he recorded the statement of witnesses or supervisory staff and his findings were not based on evidence. Justice Raina added that her services were, unfortunately, terminated on pure guesswork after taking undue advantage of her being on probation. The only evidence the department tried to cling to was a compact disc, in which even Raj Jit Singh failed to recognise Anita Devi’s face beyond doubt.

‘Unfair act’

The Bench said police oficer Raj Jit Singh acted in a manner which was unfair and inhuman to the constable’s plight, apart from showing lack of probity in authoring a false report.