Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, February 14

In a major embarrassment for the Punjab Police, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that every effort was apparently being made to shield the erring jail officials in a case where an inmate was making calls from the prison using international numbers.

Justice N.S Shekhawat of the high court also impleaded the Central Bureau of Investigation, through its joint director, as a respondent in the matter, while directing investigating officer Rajesh Kumar and DSP Sukhpal Singh Randhawa to remain present before the Bench on the next date of hearing. As the matter came up for resumed hearing, Justice Shekhawat referred to a status report filed by Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police stating that the principal accused, facing other cases registered under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act for selling illicit weapons, was using two phone numbers, which were not traceable. Even the call records could not be obtained.

Justice Shekhawat added satisfactory reply was not received to the court’s specific query to the investigating officer and the DSP concerned on the investigation conducted in the matter. It was apparent that the experts were not associated during the course of investigation. They even admitted that the help of cyber experts from the police was not taken

“Gurdaspur SSP was also directed to explain the reasons for not arraying the jail officials as accused in the present case, when admittedly, the petitioner was making calls from the jail itself and was indulging in drug trafficking in the area of Gurdaspur. It is surprising that the query has not been answered by the SSP,” Justice Shekhawat asserted.

Taking note of the submission that a letter had been written to the Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) to initiate an inquiry in the matter and take action against the erring officials, Justice Shekhawat observed the police did not bothere to investigate the jail officials. It did look into their involvement in the smuggling. It would, as such, be impossible for the ADGP (Prisons) to even take departmental action against them.

“Thus, it is apparent that every effort has been made to shield the erring jail officials, who were involved in the crime with the principal accused. Apart from that, no efforts were made to collect the evidence against the other accused also,” Justice Shekhawat asserted. The notice issued by the Bench to the CBI was accepted by advocate Prateek Gupta on the asking of the Court. The case will now come up on February 29 for further hearing.