Legal Correspondent
Shimla, December 4
The HP High Court has handed over the investigation into a death case to the CBI. A Division Bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya passed the order yesterday on a petition filed by a woman seeking investigation by the CBI into the mysterious death of her husband on June 9, 2020.
It was alleged in the petition that her husband was found in an unconscious state at a secluded place known as Kundu Nullah, near Pairvi Pul at Sanaura in Rajgarh tehsil of Sirmaur, far away from his house situated at Waknaghat in Solan district, which was not a normal circumstance.
It was alleged that though Praveen Sharma was declared brought dead, the police did not consider it appropriate to register an FIR in the case. The petitioner stated that she had lodged complaints in writing to the SHO concerned as well as the SP, Sirmaur, at Nahan, but to no avail.
Taking serious note of non-registration of an FIR in the case, the HP High Court directed the Secretary Home to conduct an inquiry regarding the role of police officials (who dealt with the matter), especially the SP, Sirmaur, at Nahan; SDPO, Rajgarh; SHO, Rajgarh; and Amar Dutt Sharma, in-charge of Yashwantnagar police post.
The court directed an inquiry in the matter by an officer not below the rank of Inspector General of Police which should be completed by December 31. It said that the compliance report should be submitted to the court on January 5, 2022.
While passing the order, the court said, "The police acted as monocratic and unmindful of its legal obligations. The conduct of the police depicts the sordid, despotic and nepotic functioning of those, who in most brazen, blatant and contemptuous manner, have flouted and defied the mandate of law. The material on record suggests clearly that the conduct of the police was not bona fide. Police diaries have not been maintained in this case, which further places the conduct of the police in the realm of suspicion".
The court directed the police to hand over all records pertaining to the case to the CBI.
Police did not register FIR
- The petitioner stated that her husband was found in an unconscious state at a secluded place known as Kundu Nullah in Sirmaur, far away from his house situated at Waknaghat in Solan
- It was alleged that even though Praveen Sharma was declared brought dead, the police did not register an FIR in the case
