E-Paper
Criminal cases against MPs, MLAs: Trial pending in 112 cases in Punjab
As many as 112 criminal cases are pending trial involving sitting and erstwhile MLAs and MPs in Punjab, a fresh status report submitted by the state police has revealed.
As many as 112 criminal cases are pending trial involving sitting and erstwhile MLAs and MPs in Punjab, a fresh status report submitted by the state police has revealed.
As per the report submitted by the state’s director general of police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav now only six criminal cases are pending investigation – most of them of the years 2021 and 2022. There is only one case which is pending since 2018.
As per report filed in January 2023, the number of cases pending investigation were 17, which have now gone down to six cases.
The details were submitted during the hearing of a 2021 suo motu plea in which court is monitoring probe into FIRs registered against MPs and MLAs in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh upon directions in this regard from the apex court.
Dissatisfied over the pace of probe and trials, the high court had summoned DGPs of both Punjab and Haryana for hearing which took place on February 22.
On being apprised by the steps being taken by the police of both the states, the court observed that it appears that steps have indeed been taken by Punjab as well as Haryana to formulate and systematize the process of investigation as well as to streamline it so that the trials were not delayed at the end of prosecution because of non-appearance of the witnesses.
During the hearing both the DGPs had assured court that all efforts would be made to expedite the process of investigations and submit the challans at the earliest.
“The instructions as have been issued by the State of Punjab as well as the State of Haryana, if followed, would be of great help in expediting the process of investigation as well as the trials not only in the cases of MPs’ and MLAs’, but qua the other cases under trial as well. The Court, therefore, expects and seeks an assurance from the Directorate General of Police, Punjab and Haryana that they would ensure that the instructions are in detail followed by the concerned leaving it to no chance by the process of continuous monitoring at regular intervals,” the bench observed posting the matter for hearing on April 19 and seeking fresh reports from both the DGPs.
