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Contempt of court : DSP, ASI skip court dates, get 4-month jail
In an exemplary punishment, a local court on Thursday sentenced a “politically connected” deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) to four-month imprisonment for “repeatedly failing to appear in court to record their statements in a murder case.”
In an exemplary punishment, a local court on Thursday sentenced a “politically connected” deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) to four-month imprisonment for “repeatedly failing to appear in court to record their statements in a murder case.”
The court of judicial magistrate Sukhwinder Singh pronounced the sentence on Fatehgarh Sahib DSP Karan Sher Singh Dhillon and ASI Harminder Singh on complaint of additional district and sessions judge Rajinder Aggarwal who had asked for initiating proceedings under section 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant) of the Indian Penal Code. The court has also slapped Rs 1,000 fine on the duo.
DSP Dhillon is believed to be close to the Badals. He hails from Badal village and is son of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s close associate. Senior Badal had visited Dhillon’s house in Patiala when he was in-charge of Tripuri police station to enquire about the health of his ailing father before his death. The chief minister had even attended the ‘bhog’.
According to the compliant, the DSP and the ASI were legally bound to appear in the court to depose in their official capacity in a murder case. The duo, however, didn’t appear on at least five dates fixed by Rajinder Aggarwal. As a result, the trial was delayed.
“Wilful disobedience is liable to be punished under section 174 of the IPC. It’s a ground of contempt of court. Taking into account, the totality of facts and circumstances, the court finds that the accused DSP and the ASI intentionally didn’t the court proceedings,” observed the court.
