Punjab & Haryana High Court Imposes ₹10K Cost On Investigating Officer For Not Following HC Order, Directs Recovery Of Amount From Salary
The Punjab and Haryana High Court imposed a cost of ₹10,000 on an Investigating Officer (IO) who failed to follow Court’s direction to remain present along with the case diary.
The Court was hearing a protection plea against Police Officers who allegedly withdrawn over Rs. 6.4 lakhs from petitioner’s account and arrested him in a cyber crime case, without following the due process. During the last hearing the Court had summoned the IO of the case.
Justice Sumeet Goel noted that the Head Constable namely Manisha has appeared in Court to assist the State counsel and “the concerned Investigating Officer has neither come present today nor any explanation nay plausible explanation is forthcoming for non- compliance of the said order earlier passed by this Court.”
“Such contumacious conduct not only impedes the due process of administration of justice but also results in manifest wastage of the valuable judicial time of the Court. In the absence of any cogent justification for such a patent disregard of the order earlier passed, this Court is left with no option but to take a stern view of the matter to deter recurrence of such defiance,” the Court added.
Consequently, the Court imposed a costs of Rs.10,000 upon the concerned Investigating Officer.
“The Commissioner of Police, Jhajjar is directed to recover the said amount from the salary of the said Investigating Officer and have it deposited with the Haryana State Legal Services Authority. The Commissioner of Police, Jhajjar shall file a compliance report in this regard,” it added.
While adjourning the matter to August 22, the Court directed the Commissioner of Police, Jhajjar to remain present in Court.
Mr. Bharat Bhandari, Advocate for the petitioner.
Mr. Vishal Singh, Aag Haryana.
Title: Sandeep Monga vs. State of Haryana and others