Cops rapped for repeated failure in serving summons in time

A court here has pulled up the Delhi Police for its repeated failure in complying with its directions to serve summons to the witnesses well in time for their deposition.
Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau made the observation while dealing with two separate cases in which two prosecution witnesses, a telecom firm official and a government hospital doctor complained that they were facing difficulties as summons were being served to them "very late".
The court asked the Delhi Police Commissioner to issue necessary directions to investigating officers (IOs) to ensure that summons are served to the witnesses well in advance.

"Even previously this aspect had been highlighted and I am informed that the Commissioner of Police had intervened and had issued necessary directions in this regard but it appears to have had little effect upon the process serving agency.
"It has thus become desirable that necessary directions are issued to the IOs/process serving agency to ensure service of summons well in advance not only to enable the witnesses to make themselves available but also to provide them with sufficient time to prepare themselves for their depositions in the courts, which will only add to the efficiency in the system," the judge said.

The court also said sufficient time is required to be given to the witnesses, particularly the official witnesses from various departments, to enable them to collect the relevant records and prepare themselves for their deposition.