Consumer panel summons SHO in cheating case

The Kerala Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has summoned the North Paravur Station House Officer (SHO) to appear before it and explain the reasons for not acting on its order to execute a warrant for the arrest of the accused in an apartment cheating case dating back almost a decade.

The SHO has been asked to appear on May 28. A bench comprising commission president K. Surendramohan and member K.R. Radhakrishnan dubbed the failure of the police to execute the decadeold warrant ‘irresponsible and unpardonable.’

“We notice from the proceedings that we had issued a nonbailable warrant against the judgment debtors to be executed through the North Paravur SHO. However, neither has he executed the warrant nor had intimated any reason for noncompliance. The warrant was thereafter issued through the District Police Chief [Ernakulam Rural] for due execution,” the Commission observed.

There was no progress even thereafter following which a further direction was issued to the SHO to file a report before the Commission. “The attitude of the police in this case has been completely irresponsible and unpardonable. It is the solemn duty of the police to render all assistance to this Commission in the matter of execution of its orders and decrees. In the absence of due compliance, this commission would be left with no other alternative but to invoke its penal powers for the purpose of executing the decree in this case by sentencing the persons who are guilty of disobedience of their orders to sentences of imprisonment,” it said.