The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday (03rd August 2020) directed the Punjab State Government to submit details of the FIRs registered against all serving police officers including the nature and status of the criminal case against them. The court has also asked the States home secretary to specify the current posting of these officers.
A single-judge bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal was hearing a petition by a Moga resident, Surjit Singh who was dismissed from the service by Moga SSP. The petitioner, through his counsel, submitted that the impugned dismissal order was issued without taking into consideration another such order by the Inspector-General of Police, Ferozepur range, on 23 November 2018. In that order, the petitioner was reinstated in the service even after an FIR against him. Further on, the bench was told by Sujit Singh that the criminal case against him is pending adjudication. He argued that the impugned dismissal order is discriminatory against him as a large number of police officers, who are facing criminal cases are still in service.
The state counsel, Additional Attorney General Deepali Puri requested time to file the reply on behalf of the respondent.
The Honble High Court has sought replies by 09th October 2020 along with the details of current postings of the serving police officers in the state.