771 FIRs, 902 complaints pending at UT police stations for over a year: RTI reply

The maximum complaints — 250 out of 902 — have been pending with Sector 3 police station, which is the first ISO-certified police station of Chandigarh Police. The SHO of Sector 3 police station, Inspector Sher Singh, did not respond to repeated phone calls over the issue.

Significantly, not a single FIR or complaint has been pending for investigation for more than one year at Sector 26 police station.

According to the official figures, 86 FIRs are pending with Sector 36 police station, 84 FIRs are pending with Sector 39 police station, 64 FIRs are pending with Sector 3 police station and 43 FIRs are pending with Sector 31 police station. There are 17 police stations in Chandigarh, including one Women Police Station. These 17 police stations are being monitored by five Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs), including two IPS officers.

The RTI query was filed by social activist R K Garg, who termed it a matter of concern. “The number of investigating officers (IOs) in the police stations matters. There are only nine probe officers at Maloya police station, in which 114 cases have been pending for more than one year. Sometimes, suspects get benefit during the course of a court trial on the basis of pending investigation,” he said.

“Section 468 of CrPC binds the investigation agency to complete the probe within a particular time frame as per the nature of crime. Indeed, heinous crimes can be exceptional but in offences, in which punishment is less than six months, cops are bound to complete the investigation in the particular time frame. There are many cases, including gambling, which have been pending with Chandigarh Police for more than one and half years. One such case is pending at Sector 31 police station,” advocate Harish Bhardwaj, a noted criminal lawyer, said.

SP (city) Ketan Bansal said, “The issue is in our knowledge. And we are taking it very seriously. The pendency of FIRs at the level of police stations is a matter of concern. Indeed, in the offences, especially of vehicle theft, we have decided to complete the probe within one month. If the accused is not arrested, we have started submitting untraced reports in the courts concerned in the second month. There are police stations, which reduce the pendency at the minimal level. In the cases of dowry harassment, domestic violence, we usually investigate many aspects. In domestic violence cases, there are guidelines which stress the long counselling of both the parties.”

A source said, “There are certain reasons behind the pendency. Some of the cases relate to the category of heinous crimes in which suspects were identified but are still at large.”