Pay Rs 1 lakh to online fraud victim: High Court to Punjab SSP

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, May 4

Signalling zero tolerance towards laxity by investigating agencies probing criminal matters, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered a senior functionary of the Punjab Police to pay Rs 1 lakh compensation to an online fraud victim. He was compelled to initiate legal proceedings after enduring a prolonged period of inaction by the police.

Lax probe: Costs to be recovered from SHOs

The amount of costs shall be recovered proportionately from the SHOs concerned, who remained in office since the date of the registration of the FIR till today. Justice Harkesh Manuja

“Considering the lackadaisical attitude on the part of the investigating agency, the Kapurthala Senior Superintendent of Police is directed to compensate the petitioner to the tune of Rs 1 lakh before the next date of hearing. The amount of costs shall be recovered proportionately from the SHOs concerned, who remained in office since the date of the FIR registration till today,” Justice Harkesh Manuja of the high court asserted. The ruling came on a petition filed against the state of Punjab and other respondents by Puneet Gupta through counsel KS Dadwal. As the matter came up for resumed hearing, the state counsel informed Justice Manuja’s Bench that a person was arrested on April 26 in relation to the FIR and the probe would be concluded soon with the filing of the final investigation report before the magistrate concerned.

After hearing the contentions, Justice Manuja asserted the record’s perusal showed that the case in hand was registered on November 12, 2021. Even after expiry of almost two and a half years, the investigation had not been concluded and the final report was yet to be submitted.

Justice Manuja asserted that the Kapurthala SSP was, on a previous date of hearing, requested to do the needful or remain present in the court. As of now, neither has the investigation been concluded nor has the officer attended the court proceedings, whether in person or through videoconferencing.

“The petitioner, who has been defrauded of Rs 28.84 lakh on account of an online fraud, is running after the investigating agency for the past more than two and a half years with no results, thereby compelling him to approach this court by way of filing the present petition,” Justice Manuja asserted.