HC asks court to issue arrest warrant against Ghaziabad SSP

The Allahabad High Court today directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Ghaziabad to "immediately issue warrant of arrest" against SSP of the district who had failed to appear in person despite issuing of summons.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Dharnidhar Jha and Justice Pankaj Naqvi also expressed strong displeasure over the fact that the SP (Traffic) had appeared and filed an affidavit instead of the SSP.
"We assume that she (SP Traffic) would not have done it herself and she might have been forced to do the same", the court said and directed the DGP of Uttar Pradesh to appear in person on 23.10.2013, the next date of hearing in the matter, and express his "view" on the "very serious issue".

The Division Bench also disapproved of the exemption granted to the SSP, in addition to some other officials, by another bench which had heard the matter on 30. 10.2013 and before which the SP(Traffic) had filed affidavit.
The order came on a criminal appeal filed by one Mahendra Pal, who had moved the court challenging the acquittal of some accused in a criminal case of Sihanigate police station.
Last month, the court had directed the SSP, the Station Officer and other policemen to appear in person after noticing that though a warrant was issued by the CJM against the accused persons following High Court's order, the officials "were deliberately avoiding the court's order by submitting fake and untrue report".