Criminal cases against MPs/MLAs: HC seeks fresh status reports on investigation by January 10

The HC is monitoring probe in criminal cases against lawmakers following orders of the Supreme Court since February 2021

The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought fresh status reports on probes in criminal cases against MPs and MLAs from Punjab and Haryana by January 10.

The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought fresh status reports on probes in criminal cases against MPs and MLAs from Punjab and Haryana by January 10.

In the detailed order released on Friday, the high court bench of justice AG Masih and justice Sandeep Moudgil expressed satisfaction over the progress made by police following-up the criminal cases. The hearing took place on Thursday. The HC is monitoring probe in criminal cases against lawmakers following orders of the Supreme Court since February 2021.

The high court directed the inspector general of police (Crime), Punjab, to personally look into the probe reports and if satisfied, proceed to submit the same in trial courts. A compliance report on the same has been submitted prior to the January 10 hearing.

Earlier, Punjab’s affidavit stated a total 53 cases are pending at various stages before the trial courts. Of these, cancellation/untraced reports have been submitted in 14 cases. It had further stated that there are 29 cases under investigation, but as of now only 19 are pending investigation. Punjab had sought six weeks time to conclude the investigations and submit a specific report indicating the progress in the probe.

As of Haryana, it had said that after May 2021, final reports have been submitted in 30 of the 44 cases under investigation after completion of the same. Challans have been filed in seven cases. There are 17 more cases in which investigation is still in progress, the government said.

The court observed that the speed at which the progress of investigation is going on, is not satisfactory. Without further delving into the details, the court gave six weeks time to police after the government counsel had assured that the inspector general of police is personally monitoring these investigations and efforts would be made to conclude the same at the earliest.

As of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agencies told court that in some of the matters, stay has been granted by the courts, wherein appropriate applications have been moved for vacation of the same. Efforts are being made to expedite the trial. No fresh report is required to be submitted by the income tax department and the enforcement directorate as the matters are pending before high court and the apex court, where the matter is being pursued by the authorities, Satya Pal Jain, additional solicitor general had told the court.