CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the police department to conduct periodic reviews of court orders in criminal cases and comply with its directions within a stipulated time. The order was issued by Justice AD Jagadish Chandira while disposing of a contempt of court petition filed by J Manohar Das against the Koyambedu police for wilful disobedience of the court’s order for action on a complaint he had lodged.
“All police commissioners and SPs shall conduct monthly reviews of court directions for time-bound action and ensure digital tracking of compliance,” the judge said in the order passed on Wednesday.
The court also directed the authorities to complete the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) 2.0 project within four months and instructed the home department and the DGP to implement the SOP issued by the court on December 8, 2024.
Expressing concern over delay in police action, the judge stated, “The worst scenario is when directions of the court are not being scrupulously followed, resulting in a plethora of contempt petitions.”
The judge added that it is high time for effective digitisation of the entire investigating agencies and granted four months for the police department to comply with the directions. The petition, filed by J Manohar Das, sought directions to the police to take action against travel agent Jayasingh Vasanth Ranjith, who failed to refund Rs 13.66 lakh paid for arranging tickets and visas for a pilgrimage abroad.
Das had lodged a complaint with the Commissioner of Police on February 1, 2020, which was forwarded to the Koyambedu police, but no substantive action was taken, forcing the petitioner to seek the court’s intervention.
4-month deadline to complete CCTNS 2.0
The high court also directed the authorities to complete the CCTNS 2.0 project within four months and instructed the home department and the DGP to implement the SOP issued by the court on December 8, 2024