Notice to MLA in asasault case

SHIMLA, Aug 10: The Himachal High Court today issued show cause notices to the state, along with a sitting Congress MLA Lajja Ram and sev...

SHIMLA, Aug 10: The Himachal High Court today issued show cause notices to the state, along with a sitting Congress MLA Lajja Ram and seven others, on a petition seeking registration of a criminal case of alleged assault on the petitioner and his father in June last.

The notices, returnable on September 8, were issued by a bench comprising Chief Justice D Raju and Justice L S Panta on a petition filed by Devender Kumar, the victim of the alleged assault by a son of the MLA and some others.

The petitioner sought action against certain police officials as well he alleged that the concerned ASI at Baddi Chowki refused to register a case against the accused because of the influence of the Congress leader. The petition, however, shows that the MLA was not personally involved in the alleged attack.

Story continues below this ad

According to the petitioner, the accused persons assaulted him and his father on June 22 near Bhatoli village. The petitioner was taken to the local hospital and was later referred to PGI, Chandigarh. The petitioner suffered fracture and his optic nerve was allegedly injured. The police at Baddi, however, registered only a complaint but not the FIR.

The doctors at rural hospital where he was taken for initial treatment were not inclined to furnish records of his treatment and it was only at the intervention of the local SDM that the copy of the medical report was furnished to the petitioner. Earlier, the hospital authorities informed the SDM that the records were not traceable.

The petitioner has alleged malafide against the MLA for trying to shield the accused. His counsel Rajiv Sharma alleged that the police officers including the Senior Superintendant of Solan had “remissed” in the discharge of their statutory duties as they failed to register a case cognizable by police.