An ‘impressive’ record

In three of these cases,investigating officers and teams were replaced after the HC expressed dissatisfaction over the investigation. Newsline recalls the censure the police have earned so far.

A ‘telegraphic’ probe
A case of forgery and cheating was registered against Baba Pritpal Singh on May 20. Since then,he is on the run.

The High Court had passed strictures on several occasions on the police’s “inability” to arrest Baba. And the police continued to cut a sorry figure on every hearing,requesting for more time to arrest Baba.

After the court raised eyebrows on its functioning,the investigating team was changed.

Later,terming the investigation as “telegraphic”,Justice Mahesh Grover had granted one last opportunity to the police to arrest the accused. “If your police are so incapable of handling this case then tell me,I will give it to some other investigating agency,” Justice Grover had told the UT counsel,while dismissing Baba’s anticipatory bail.

Counsels of the complainant in the case have alleged that the cops connived with the accused and were giving threatening calls to the complainant. So far,only a co-accused in the case has been arrested.

Baba is accused of selling a piece of land for over Rs 1.2 crore to a private company on forged General Power of Attorney. Recently,a similar case of forgery was registered against him in Dera Bassi.

‘Insensitive’ probe
Not their investigation,the statement of a 19-year-old mentally retarded girl made the Chandigarh Police discover that she was raped by three men. Till now,only two accused,Bhupinder Singh and Jamna Kumar Dass,have been arrested. The statement given by the rape victim has been recorded in an audio cassette by a person whose identity was not disclosed to the Court.

The police’s conduct was deprecated in a scathing order passed by Justice Ranjit Singh. Taking the ‘insensitive’ Investigating Officer of the case,Sub Inspector Uday Pal,(who was later replaced) to task,the judge had directed the Inspector General of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP),Chandigarh,to “personally look into the case and monitor the investigation in a best possible manner under their supervision”.

The HC had taken a strong exception to Pal’s statement before a district court that co-accused Kamla was absconding and another co-accused was not required for investigation.

“How in this background,the Investigating Officer could state before the sessions court that the petitioners are not required to be arrested in this case? This statement apparently has not been made innocently by the investigating officer and would give an indication of something which is brewing in this case,” Justice Singh had remarked.

The court had further observed: “It is rare to see an investigating officer coming forward to say that the custody of a person is not needed. It is a case which requires investigation by some competent officer and not by an insensitive investigating officer,who is presently handling the investigation of the case.”

Investigation attracts regret and shock
In a case of land-grabbing,Justice Rajesh Bindal had expressed regret and shock over the functioning of the Chandigarh Police.

“As far as the investigating officer of the case is concerned,even his way of conducting the investigation cannot be appreciated. He has not conducted any investigation from the Estate Office as to how this fraud had been committed,” Justice Bindal had remarked. “Only one accused has been arrested till date. In this situation,it would be appropriate if the investigation of the case is entrusted to a senior officer so that all the links in the chain are complete.”

The remarks were made while dismissing the anticipatory bail application of a co-accused in the case.

‘Problem is,it’s a soft police force’
Commenting on the Chandigarh Police,senior standing counsel,UT Administration,Anupam Gupta,said,“Problem of Chandigarh Police is that it is a soft police. Leaders of this police force are decent and honest— Laxity of my police force pains me.”

On investigation into the Baba Pritpal Singh’s case,he had said,“Investigation was compromised since some of the police officers are Baba’s followers.”Further: “Uday Pal along with other police officers had deliberately tried to scuttle the investigation.”

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