Court asks top cop to take action against erring officers for ‘shoddy’ probe

The Delhi Police Commissioner has been directed to take “appropriate action” against two erring policemen for their shoddy probe in an drug haul case by a local court which acquitted four accused from whom 12 kg of banned substance was allegedly recovered.

While acquitting Babu Khan, Shokeen Ali, Liyakat Ali and Shehzad Ali, all residents of Uttar Pradesh, special judge Sanjay Sharma said they were not apprised about their legal right to be searched in presence of a gazetted officer or a magistrate and therefore “such recovery cannot be made basis of conviction”.

“This court is of the opinion that sub-inspector Sunil Jain failed to produce the accused persons before the gazetted officer or magistrate. Investigating officer (IO) Satish Rana also did not investigate the case properly,” the judge said.