 "Bizarre! UP cop hunts for judge instead of accused thief in huge mix-up")
synopsis
In a bizarre mix-up, a policeman in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad launched a hunt for a judge after writing down her name in place of the accused man on the proclamation order in a theft case.
In a bizarre mix-up, a policeman in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad launched a hunt for a judge after writing down her name in place of the accused man on the proclamation order in a theft case. The mix-up has not only raised questions about the working style of the police department but has also left the judiciary in shock.
The mix-up emerged last month when sub-inspector Banwarilal, who was assigned to serve a court notice to theft suspect Rajkumar, informed the chief judicial magistrate, Nagma Khan, that the accused "Nagma Khan" could not be found at her home despite a "thorough search".
The matter is related to a theft case in which the court had issued a proclamation against the accused Rajkumar (Proclamation under Section 82 CrPC). The responsibility of executing this order was given to Sub-Inspector Banwarilal, posted at Thana Tundla. But when SI Banwarilal submitted the report to the court, he wrote, "Despite all efforts and searches, the accused 'Nagma Khan' was not found at her address, please pass further orders."
Interestingly, Nagma Khan is not an accused in the case but the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), who had issued this proclamation order.
Judge Nagma Khan herself took a strict stance and wrote in her order on March 24, "It is extremely strange and worrying that a responsible police officer does not even know against whom the court has sent the order, and who sent it."
She further said that SI Banwarilal, without reading the order properly, understood the proclamation as a "Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW)" and filled in the name of the presiding officer in place of the name. She described it as a serious lapse and a symbol of the lack of basic training in the police department.
The court said that if such negligent police officers continue to get away with it, they may crush the freedom and fundamental rights of any innocent person in the future. "Highest level of caution" is expected from police personnel serving court notices.
The court has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh and other senior officers to take strict action against Banwarilal so that such negligence is not repeated in the future.
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