Taking cognisance of a letter written by the father of a missing sepoy of 28 Punjab Regiment, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Bareilly Cantt Military Police Station commanding officer to provide all necessary details in this regard.
The high court was closed for Dussehra holidays but a bench of chief justice Govind Mathur and justice Vivek Varma was formed to adjudicate the matter.
In the letter written by one Updesh Singh of Damowal village, Hoshiarpur, Punjab, it was alleged that his son, sepoy Rajat Singh, while serving 28 Punjab Regiment, Pithoragarh, was illegally deputed with Colonel (Retd) AK Dubey in Bareilly and his son is missing since July 28, 2018. According to the petitioner, despite efforts no adequate steps have been taken to locate his son. An FIR was registered in this regard on July 30, 2019 at Police Station Cantt (Bareilly). No progress has taken place in the matter.
Additional government advocate Syed Ali Mortaza appearing for the state government apprised the court that the investigating officer had asked the concerned officers to report to him but no one had responded till date.
The Bench observed, “we deem it appropriate to call upon the Commanding Officer, Military Police, Police Station Cantt, Bareilly to provide all necessary details with regard to missing person, Rajat Singh, Sepoy, 28 Punjab Regiment, Pithogarh, who is said to be missing since 28th July, 2018 from the Head Quarters, UB Area, Officers Mess, Bareilly.”
{{/usCountry}}The Bench observed, “we deem it appropriate to call upon the Commanding Officer, Military Police, Police Station Cantt, Bareilly to provide all necessary details with regard to missing person, Rajat Singh, Sepoy, 28 Punjab Regiment, Pithogarh, who is said to be missing since 28th July, 2018 from the Head Quarters, UB Area, Officers Mess, Bareilly.”
{{/usCountry}}The Court has directed to register the letter of the father as a petition of habeas corpus. A habeas corpus plea is filed in cases of illegal detention of a person and by issuing writ of habeas corpus Court directs production of a person, who is illegally detained by someone, before it. The court has fixed October 14 as the next date of hearing in the case.