Punjab and Haryana HC slams police inaction in Jalandhar POCSO case, orders affidavit from Commissioner

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly criticised the police for their failure to apprehend the accused in a POCSO case involving the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Jalandhar. Holding that senior police officers are “shying away from performing their duties,” the Court has directed the Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar, to file an affidavit explaining the inaction since the FIR was registered on July 26, 2024.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by a woman seeking directions for the police to take appropriate action regarding the FIR for the rape of her granddaughter and to ensure that the challan is filed within a specific time frame. Justice Namit Kumar, during the hearing, noted the “sorry state of affairs” where the accused remains at large despite the rejection of anticipatory bail.

The incident occurred on March 24, 2024, but the FIR was only filed after the intervention of the Court. The Court found that no substantial action had been taken by the police since the registration of the FIR, and there had been no effort to arrest the accused.

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The Court also observed that the police had failed to complete the investigation within the two-month timeframe mandated by law and had not apprehended the accused despite multiple legal setbacks. The lack of tangible efforts to arrest the accused was described as a reflection of the incompetence of the police authorities.

Justice Kumar has adjourned the matter until February 10 and ordered that the necessary steps be taken within 10 days to address the situation.