Take action against officers delinquent in duty in detecting

Observing that no unnecessary sympathy should be shown to delinquent officers who have not performed their duty in detecting defective High Security Registration Plates (HSR), the Madras High Court today directed the DGP to take action against them.
Earlier the First Bench, headed by the Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, has directed the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) and the Additional Director General of Police to submit a status report on manufacturing and selling of similar number plates resembling HSRP's.
As per this direction, a report was filed today by both of them before the bench, stating that 19 such manufacturers and 1204 look-alike HSRP's have been found which have been treated as defective registration plates.

The bench, after perusing the affidavit, noted that the investigation and seizure operation was still in force as the problem affects not only Chennai but even other important towns and districts of Tamil Nadu.
Observing that the malaise was quite widespread, the bench said it was surprised that this issue remained undetected by police. "We would expect the exercise to be carried out expeditiously and further status report be placed before us in this behalf."
It recorded the assurance of Advocate General A L Somayaji that an endeavour would be made to start the process of issuing HSRP's duly authorized within eight to 10 weeks and observed there was lapse in the system of detection of such unauthorized number plates.

Recording the submission of the ACP, who was present in court that it was traffic department's job to have identified the problem, though investigation is now carried out by the Central Crime Branch, the bench said delinquent officers who have faltered in carrying out the task should be identified and put the burden on the DGP to take action against them.
"It is high time that the delinquent officers not performing their job are made accountable and no unnecessary sympathy be shown to them," it said.
The bench directed the ACP to file an affidavit on the above and to file further status reports on the investigation within four weeks and posted the matter to March 11 2015.