'Might as well disband them': SC raps UP Police
What's the story
The Supreme Court has slammed the Uttar Pradesh Police for their handling of a criminal investigation, orally observing that it might as well disband the state police and let the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) take over all the cases. "In everything you have an agenda. How will people trust you if this is how you proceed with matters?...This nonsense has to stop at some point," the bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva remarked.
Investigation irregularities
Why FIR was filed against unknown motorcycle rider
The court made these observations after noting serious irregularities in an investigation in which the police registered an FIR against an "unknown" motorcycle rider.
This is despite the complainant having caught the suspect and handing him over to the local police. However, the police registered the FIR and left the accused column blank.
Expressing shock, the bench said, "Toeing the line is one thing but bending over backwards. And this kind of cover up job? Less said the better."
Court order
'How will people trust the police'
The petitioner also stated that when the High Court intervened and requested a status report, the police added the rider's name into the chargesheet, only to later give him a clean chit.
She further stated that the motorcycle, which had no number plate when confiscated, was inexplicably assigned a registration number during the investigation.
"FIR was registered against unknown persons? Why did you write unknown if the person was caught..How will people trust the police?" the SC bench asked.
Court
'Bring in one of your own names'
The court observed that leaving the name of an apprehended suspect in the initial FIR blank followed by manipulation of case information results in the total erosion of institutional credibility.
"Perhaps if the equation works out you can substitute the name, bring in one of your own names, you must keep a list of accused in different FIRs whoever has gotten lesser number of FIRs you can include his name. Is that how it works there?" the bench asked.
Affidavit
Court orders concerned police officer to appear in court
The court also found the reply affidavit filed by the UP Police to be unimpressive.
It ordered a concerned police officer to appear in court on the next hearing date to explain why the accused's name was not included in the FIR initially.
The bench said, "We found the affidavit...to be completely uninspiring."
"The reason as to why the name was left blank in the FIR initially and was thereafter supplemented needs to be explained," it ordered.