HC orders departmental enquiry against SHO, IO

The Delhi High Court Friday ordered the Delhi police commissioner to initiate departmental enquiry against the SHO and investigating officer (IO) of Kanjhawala police station for their "insensitiveness and callous approach" in not filing charge-sheet within statutory period in a murder case.

Justice V.P. Vaish while dismissing anticipatory bail plea of an old couple in a murder case slammed police noted that their two sons, co-accused in the case were granted bail because of non filing of charge-sheet within statutory time limit.

"The accused (in this case) are charged with serious offence of murder and non-filing of charge-sheet in such heinous offence is a matter of serious concern," the court said.

Attar Singh and his wife Vidya Devi had moved the high court seeking anticipatory bail in a murder of Singh's father.

According to police, in March this year, Singh, a cancer patient, along with his wife and two sons had beaten his 80-year-old father to death. Singh's brother had complained to police about the incident.

During the hearing of case, the court came to know that police had failed to file charge-sheet timely in the case due to which Rakesh and Vinod, Singh's sons got bail.

"It also reflects insensitiveness and callous approach not only on the part of the investigating officer but also on the part of the concerned SHO, who also failed to supervise the investigation. It is needless to mention here that the SHO is the chief investigating officer of a police station and it is his primary duty to supervise the investigation and to ensure that at least in serious offences like murder, etc. investigation is completed at the earliest," the court said.

It directed the commissioner of police to hold departmental inquiry against the SHO and IO of Kanjhawala police station within a period of four weeks and to submit report in this regard be fore the court.