Delhi top cop to answer for stale records

New Delhi: Calling it "pathetic" that the Delhi Police is still not updating on a regular basis the past involvement reports of undertrial prisoners (UTPs) when almost every information is available on the click of a mouse, a Delhi court has pulled up the police for unnecessarily delaying bail applications as a result and sought a compliance report on the same from the Delhi Police Commissioner. The observation came after Assistant Sub-Inspector Garib Chand, in the matter regarding the bail plea of one Surender alias Sonu, told the court that he was not aware of the exact status of cases pending against the accused and that the involvement report of the accused filed by him is on the basis of record maintained by SCRB (State Crime Records Bureau).

ASI Chand further told the court that he can file updated status of cases pending against the accused at present if some time is granted to him and sought adjournment.

However, an irked court, presided by Additional Sessions Judge Sonu Agnihotri, noted that the matters wherein Surender is shown to be involved as per SCRB report pertain to period as early as 2010 "and it is difficult to imagine that such matters of theft might still be pending before Trial Courts".

After observing that generally, the involvement reports of UTPs as per SCRB record are not updated and time is usually sought by police officials, the order read: "In today's world, when almost every information is available on click of mouse, it is pathetic that Delhi Police is still not updating its record regularly."

"I think time has come for Delhi Police to sharpen its skills so far as implementation of technology is concerned," the court added, granting bail to Surender and directing the Delhi Police Commissioner to get updated SCRB record of Judicial District South-East, so that in future, bail applications of UTPs are not delayed. The compliance report is supposed to be filed on October 11.