Coming down heavily on a Punjab Police cop for removing a court file, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the State Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure his presence before the Court with the file.
Assistant sub-inspector Ram Dass had taken an “original agreement” to sell a property, for investigation of the property matter from the trial court record with an undertaking to return it-which he failed to do so.
Taking serious notice of the matter, Justice LN Mittal issued notice of motion to the State and issued directions to the DGP.
“Copy of the order be sent to DGP, Punjab, with a direction to ensure the presence of ASI Ram Dass in this court,” stated Justice Mittal. The matter will now come up for further hearing on March 22.
The matter pertains to argument over the property between Ludhiana residents Gurdeep Singh and Bhupinder Singh. During the hearing of the matter, the Bench was informed that a case was registered at Ludhiana’s police station division number eight regarding forgery of an agreement to sell, dated April 10, 2003.
“For the investigation of the case, ASI Ram Dass took the original agreement from the record of the trial court with the undertaking to return the same after getting the signature or handwriting compared by a handwriting expert,” observed Justice Mittal adding, “But, ASI Ram Dass failed to return the agreement to the trial court.”
“It has been observed in the order dated March 10, 2006, of the trial court that ASI Ram Dass was present. He was warned regarding his conduct in not returning the agreement inspite of an undertaking and was given a last opportunity to produce the original agreement in the Court. In spite thereof, the agreement has not been returned by ASI Ram Dass,” observed the Bench.
