HC directs DGP to ask SP to probe on charge-sheet issue

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court today asked the Tamil Nadu DGP to ask SP of Kanyakumari district to probe as to how police filed the charge-sheet in a lower court in a criminal case which had been stayed by the court and action taken against erring persons.
Justice C T Selvam said the court had given interim stay on April 29 this year on filing of the final report in crime No.129 (pending in Kottar police station), and sent notice to the respondent for hearing on June 10. But the petitioner, R Shafeeq Khan, said despite the court order, the charge-sheet had been filed, and moved the contempt petition.

The Government Advocate, during the earlier hearing, said the charge-sheet was filed before the receipt of the court order. The judge said he called for the lower court records to verify the veracity of the police contention.
"The same reveals a most distressing state of affairs. The charge-sheet has been prepared by the Sub-Inspector of Kottar Police station on July 24. The court seal revealed that the charge-sheet was filed on July 30. A blatant attempt had been made and the date of filing of the charge-sheet had been conspicuously altered," the judge said.
Meanwhile, the Additional Advocate General said the present inspector was a new man and he joined duty on June 12 this year, while the order of stay had been passed on April 29. His predecessor had been transferred.

The judge also directed the SP to conduct further investigation into the matter and file a report before the court. "Pending the report of the SP, further proceedings of the case in the Judicial Magistrate court shall stand stayed," the judge said.