Punjab and Haryana High Court takes notice of help to accused by agriculture officers

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, April 11

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken cognisance of a scam where insecticide inspectors and the chief agriculture officers helped accused illegally by delaying the institution of complaints before the courts even after receiving reports from the public analyst and sanction under the provisions of the Insecticides Act.

Justice NS Shekhawat of the high court has also asked Director, Agriculture, to furnish district-wise data for the last five years in each case under the Act by filing his personal affidavit in the matter on 11 issues. Among other things, he has been asked to specify the dates of sample collection from the dealer/manufacturer, the receipt of public analyst report, the sanction from the competent authority and eventual institution of the complaint before the court concerned.

Justice Shekhawat asserted that it came to the court’s notice in more than a few cases that the complaints were not instituted by the insecticide inspectors and the chief agriculture officers of the district concerned for several years, despite the receipt of the report and the sanction.

“In all these cases, this delay is caused by the officials concerned to help the accused illegally, because the maximum sentence provided under the provisions of the Insecticides Act is two years and the complaints are instituted after a delay of three years,” Justice Shekhawat observed.

In his detailed order, he also asked the Director, Agriculture, to specify the dates of sending the samples to the public analyst and the issuance of further show-cause notice to the manufacturer/ dealer, etc. He was also asked to specify the name of the officer who collected the samples in each case, the name of the chief agriculture officer of the district posted on the date of taking the sample, the name of the insecticides inspectors and the chief agriculture officer posted at the relevant place in all the cases, where the complaints were found to be time barred.

Details were also called for on initiation of criminal action/registration of FIRs against the officials, who had filed the complaints after the limitation period’s expiry and department/disciplinary action against such officials, along with the inquiry’s status.

The order’s copy was also directed to be sent to the Secretary, Department of Agriculture, for information and necessary action. Director, Agriculture, and Bathinda Chief Agriculture Officer were also directed to remain present on the next date of hearing. The case will now come up in May first week.