The Sikkim HC while dealing with the case of a 14-year-old who is missing since June 2013, directed the State Government to come up with an SOP in the cases of missing people and children.
The Bench led Chief Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheshwari and Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai directed that the SOP should include the course of action and all the details to be followed by the officers taking up this task, and if the guidelines aren’t followed and are violated, then responsibility must be fixed.
The case before the court:
Alka Subedi, aged about 14 years, was missing since 2013. Her mother lodged an FIR on 20th June 2013 as case no. 68/2013 under section 363 IPC.
The statement of the mother, father and Laxmi (witness) was recorded. Laxmi has an interaction with the missing girl.
The court remarked that the photographs of the girl were taken on the same day, on 20th June, but were not sent to the other police stations. The court states that there are some parts missing in the investigation.
The court has given a notice to the DGP/State to come up with the SOP within two weeks.
The court observed that the manner in which the investigation was conducted was not at par with the procedure. In light of this, the court ordered that appropriate measures should be taken as soon as possible and the progress should be submitted within six weeks.
