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2015 Kotkapura violence: Give week’s notice to ex-DGP Saini before arrest, HC tells Punjab Police
The high court on Tuesday directed Punjab Police to give seven days’ prior notice in case the former Punjab director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini is sought to be arrested in the 2015 Kotkapura violence case
The high court on Tuesday directed Punjab Police to give seven days’ prior notice in case the former Punjab director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini is sought to be arrested in the 2015 Kotkapura violence case.
The high court acted on the plea of former DGP who had approached it in March and granted him the bail.
Subsequently, the high court had quashed the charge sheets filed by Punjab Police on April 9, and the government was asked to constitute a three-member special investigation team (SIT).
The high court bench of justice Avneesh Jhingan noted that the DGP was not named in the FIR and it was only on the basis of a challan that he was summoned and also that the charge sheet no longer exists in view of the high court order of April and now there is a fresh investigation by a newly constituted SIT.
The court also observed that it will not be appropriate to ignore the factual background of the case as he served the state being an IPS officer and in a 2018 petition, a court examining various aspects involved, including “political colour”, granted a protection that in case he is to be arrested, a clear seven days’ notice should be served.
“In view of the change in circumstances during the pendency of this petition, the present petition is disposed of. In case the petitioner is sought to be arrested, one week’s notice shall be given to the petitioner so as to enable him to have recourse to remedies available to him,” the court said while disposing of the plea.
