The SPs of the districts are now reluctant to pursue action against 272 investigating officers (IOs) within the Haryana Police. Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujit Kapoor has submitted a detailed report regarding this matter to TVSN Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department. The report outlines reasons for the backlog of pending cases attributed to IO padding. It has undergone review at the ACS level. Subsequently, DGP Kapoor will forward the file, along with his comments to the Home Minister.
This report holds significant importance within the police department as the fate of 272 IOs associated with the case hangs in the balance. Moreover, the district SPs have expressed their unwillingness to pursue any further action against the IOs. They fear that taking suspension actions against more IOs might result in a shortage of investigating officers in the districts.
Earlier, Home Minister Anil Vij had ordered the suspension of 372 IOs who had left cases pending for over a year, with approximately 100 already suspended.
Several SPs from various districts had appealed to the DGP, highlighting the existing scarcity of IOs. They warned that suspensions could potentially halt police investigation work due to pending cases entangled in legal complexities. They argued that directly blaming the IOs might not be fair in cases with such complications.
Upon the request of the Superintendents of Police, Police Chief Shatrujit Kapoor petitioned the Home Minister to prepare a district-wise report on IOs. This report would present the factual details before the Home Minister for consideration.
The Home Minister had identified 372 investigating officers from 13 districts, who had not taken action on 3229 cases in the past year. This list also includes 9 officers at the DSP level. Before issuing suspension instructions for these officers, the DGP sought explanations from them. However, the responses provided by the 372 concerned investigating officers were deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the Home Minister’s decision to suspend them.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, regarding the entire situation, stated that he had not given the instruction to suspend 372 investigating officers happily but did so with a heavy heart. He expressed sadness, stating that despite repeated orders in meetings over the past year to resolve pending cases, no significant progress was made. Vij mentioned that upon receiving the report, he intends to thoroughly review it and take appropriate action accordingly.
