Religion of individuals involved in case not to be mentioned in FIRs, Haryana police informs High Court

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, October 11

In a pivotal move towards ensuring impartiality in legal processes, Haryana Director General of Police has issued instructions categorically stating that the religion of individuals involved in a case will not be mentioned in the FIR. The situations necessitating exceptions were explicitly outlined in the instructions submitted along with an affidavit on the DGP’s behalf before the Punjab and Haryana High Court

Taking up the matter, Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri of the high court validated the DGP’s efforts by making it clear that further action by the state on the issue was not required to be taken in light of the developments.

As the matter came up for resumed hearing, Haryana’s Additional Advocate General Pawan Girdhar filed a fresh affidavit, along with instructions issued by the DGP. Justice Puri asserted: “In the instructions, it has been so mentioned that the entire issue has been reconsidered and it is directed that religion of informant/complainant/victim and suspect/accused persons will not be mentioned in the FIR, except in the situations which are so incorporated with the affidavit”.

Before parting with the order, Justice Puri asserted it was expected that the DGP would ensure on periodic basis that his instructions were “meticulously complied with in letter and spirit by all the police stations/ investigating agencies”.

The case has its genesis in a petition for grant of anticipatory bail filed by an accused in an FIR registered on July 12 for cheating and other offences under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the IPC registered at Sector 9 police station in Ambala City.

The court, while issuing notice of motion on the petition, took cognizance of the language used in the FIR, wherein religion of the accused persons was mentioned. The State DGP was then directed to file an affidavit on corrective measures by the State of Haryana, “especially when on the similar lines, the State of Punjab had already issued instructions”.

In response, the DGP then filed an affidavit before Justice Puri’s Bench earlier this month. But Haryana Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan with Girdhar and Deputy AG Naveen Kumar Sheoran stated that revised instructions were required to be issued and a fresh affidavit would be filed along with the revised instructions.