Court asks Delhi Police Commissioner to take action against officers for lackadaisical approach in a rape case enquiry

Delhi Police Commissioner has been directed by a court here to take action against senior officers, including a DCP, for their negligence and conducting an enquiry in a “very perfunctory manner” in a rape case.

The court asked the police chief to initiate proper action against Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of north district and an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), while observing that due to such negligence, matters are being delayed and demolishing prosecution cases.

The court made the remarks while hearing a rape case lodged in 2016 at Timarpur police station in North Delhi against four men.

“It is highly objectionable that officer of higher level also does not know how to conduct the enquiry.... Despite opportunity given by this court, DCP has failed to take due course of enquiry. Hence, I am not satisfied with the report of the concerned DCP,” Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar II said.

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The court said this order has nothing to do with the role of ‘naib courts’ (policemen deployed in court room) in getting the summons served as “this order pertains to enquiry conducted in very perfunctory manner by the DCP”.

It also directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Delhi Police chief for necessary action and compliance.

The issue arose earlier when the court had issued summons to the investigating officer (IO) of the rape case whichg got misplaced by the police.

When the summons did not return on the next date of hearing, the judge inquired from the police officials who claimed they have not received it and probably were not issued by court.

On checking of the court records and the register of ‘naib court’, it came out that summons were issued to the IO.

The court directed the DCP to conduct an enquiry and when it received the senior officer’s report, it noted that the enquiry has not been done in a proper manner and as per law.

“He has just enquired from a constable and assistant sub inspector and done nothing else. Further, concerned DCP has not taken pains to go through the record of this court whether summons have been issued or not. Nor he has made any enquiry from the ‘Naib Courts’ of this court regarding the summons.

“It shows that DCP has not followed proper proceedings of the enquiry and does not know how the enquiry should be conducted,” the judge said.