High Court raps UT police on their knuckles

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22

Rapping the Chandigarh Police for their failure to nab bikers riding away from the law on two-wheelers with modified silencers, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday minced no words to say the case reflected complete ineptitude. The Bench also questioned the police on their capabilities to solve murder cases, when they could not even nab errant bikers.

“The menace is continuing right under your nose,” the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa asserted before describing as a complete eyewash the claims of the Chandigarh Police on steps initiated to challan such riders.

As the case came up for hearing, the Bench asserted that the police, on the previous date of hearing, had claimed that men in mufti would be deployed, but “nothing happened”.

Referring to the Sunday evening experience, the Bench asserted that a bike with a modified silencer was heard zooming. The Bench asserted: “Don’t say you cannot get them. In southern sectors, the density of the population is high, but you have a few houses in the northern sectors…. We give you two days. Go door to door… It is not just insulting but also contemptuous and a reflection of total incompetence.”

The Bench added that a majority of the bikers had applied brakes to the illegality. However, some were still using it. “We want to see who are defying the orders… The competence of the Chandigarh Police is at stake,” the Bench concluded.

The developments took place on a petition against bikers riding two-wheelers with silencers removed or modified. Taking up the petition filed in public interest against the UT Administration and other respondents by Dr Bhavneet Goyal and other respondents, the High Court on the previous date of hearing had called for details of challans and impounding of vehicles.

The petitioner, a Chandigarh resident, had earlier submitted before the High Court that bikers were openly flouting traffic norms by removing or modifying bike silencers to produce a jarring noise. It was not only scaring passers-by, but also creating noise pollution The petitioner also submitted that the modified bikes were further creating noise pollution by using pressure horns.

‘We give you two days’

Don’t say you cannot get them. In southern sectors, the density of the population is high, but you have a few houses in northern sectors…. We give you two days. Go door to door… It is not just insulting but also contemptuous and a reflection of total incompetence. — Bench