NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has issued showcause notices to three Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and five Station House Officers (SHOs), demanding an explanation for the non-compliance with a court order, potentially leading to contempt proceedings.
Additional Sessions Judge Amit Sahrawat had earlier directed all police stations under his jurisdiction to ensure that process servers – officials responsible for delivering court summons – clearly mention the date when each summons is served. This directive is crucial for proper notification in legal proceedings.
The issue surfaced during a hearing on January 14, in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case when the court noted that the survivor was absent during the examination of prosecution witnesses.
The counsel for the Delhi Commission for Women informed the court that the victim had received the summons late at night, around 10:45 p.m, only the day before, making it impossible for him to attend.
Judge Sahrawat observed that the summon report lacked the date of service, indicating a serious oversight by the process server and the supervising officers, including the SHOs and DCPs. The judge emphasized that such lapses could not be tolerated, as they hinder the judicial process by delaying notifications to key individuals.
On October 14, 2024, the court had issued an order mandating that SHOs from the police stations in Prashant Vihar, KNK Marg, Jahangirpuri, Mahendra Park, and Narela ensure that the date of service is recorded on each summon. Despite this directive, reports continued to be submitted without dates, suggesting intentional negligence by process servers.
The court criticised the misconduct, highlighting how it led to last-minute notifications for witnesses and survivors, thereby prolonging the trials. The court accused the DCPs of the northwest, Rohini, and outer north districts of failing to enforce the directive and demanded their personal appearance on January 18 to explain their non-compliance.
Furthermore, the court instructed the Joint Commissioner of Police for the northern range to file a report on the lapses. The matter is scheduled for a hearing on March 4.