GIVE DETAILS OF POLICE OFFICERS CONVICTED BUT STILL WORKING: HC TO PUNJAB

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court has asked Punjab government to apprise court of how many police officers convicted by a court are continuing in service. The government has also been asked to reason what is the rationale in re-instating/allowing the continuance of such police officers.

The details have been sought on the plea of one Surjit Singh, a Moga resident, who had approached the court challenging his dismissal order that Moga SSP had passed. Surjit had told the court that a criminal case against him was pending adjudication, and the dismissal order was discriminatory, as a large number of police officers, who are facing criminal cases, are still in service.

As of details about convicts, Surjit’s counsel told the court that information as sought by this court in September has not been given by the government as details of FIRs against senior officers have not been furnished. There are several police officers, who are continuing in service even after their conviction, the petitioner’s counsel had submitted. The data given by the Punjab government had revealed that at least 1,326 police officers/officials are facing criminal cases.

The bench of justice Anupinder Singh Grewal has now directed the additional chief secretary, department of home affairs and justice, to file an affidavit giving details of the FIRs registered against the serving police officers of all ranks, including their nature and status, along with the current posting of the officers. Further, details of officers convicted by a court have also been sought by mid-November.