HC orders transfer of investigations to crime branch

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has ordered that the first information reports (FIRS) registered by the Gurugram police against RTI activist Harinder Dhingra and his family be investigated by an agency other that the Gurugram Police Commissionerate.

Dhingra and his family members were arrested by the police for allegedly duping banks.

Justice Amol Rattan Singh of the HC, in his August 13 order, directed the Haryana director general of police to transfer all such matters to the State Crime Branch immediately, with the ADGP heading the crime branch, presumably senior to the Gurugram commissioner of police to head a special investigating team to go into the allegations against the Dhingra and family.

The court though made it clear that it is not making any comment on the correctness of the allegations or merits of the contention made by the petitioner.

The HC also ordered in case any FIR is registered against Dhingra, he would be given seven-day notice prior to arrest.

“The petitioner is also restrained from leaving the country at least till the next date of hearing before this court, and directed to deposit his passport and that of his family members against whom FIRS have been registered, with the ADGP, crime, on the date that he appears before the said officer,” the HC ordered.

The court said though it is considered appropriate by it to pass the aforesaid interim order, it is to be seen as to whether it should be continued or not on the next date of hearing on September 20 upon an affidavit being filed by the ADGP, crime.

The petitioner had moved the HC seeking concession of blanket pre-arrest bail upon any criminal case being registered against him at the behest of Gurugram commissioner of police.

Counsel for the petitioner contended he and his family are being harassed at the instance of the Gurugram commissioner of police as he has been filing many petitions by way of public interest litigation, bringing to the fore issues such as outstanding external development charges (EDC), telecom fees and also seeking information with regard to the property owned by Gurugram commissioner of police.

The petitioner alleged the commissioner of police, has become inimical and hostile towards him because he has filed a complaint against him before the Prime Minister.

The court also ordered that Gurugram commissioner of police Krishan Kumar Rao be impleaded as respondent.