Madras HC: Can’t hold SPs responsible for inspectors’ lapses

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has set aside the order directing disciplinary action against five officers who served as Superintendents of Police (SPs) in Cuddalore from 2015, for allegedly failing to monitor whether final reports in cases were filed before the court.

A petition had been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to file a final report in a case registered at the Kullanchavadi police station in Cuddalore.

During the hearing, the police informed the court that the complaint had already been inquired into and closed.

However, for failing to file a report before the court regarding the closure of the complaint, the High Court directed the Head of State Police to initiate departmental action against 14 inspectors who had served in the Kullanchavadi police station.

Similarly, the court also directed the State police chief to take disciplinary action against five officers P Saravanan, M Sri Abinav, S Sakthi Ganeshan, S Jayakumar, and R Rajaram, who served as Superintendents of Police in Cuddalore district from 2015, for failing to monitor whether the final reports were filed before the court.

Hearing the appeal filed by the police officers challenging this order, a division bench comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice M Jothiraman observed that there was no doubt that Superintendents of Police must monitor the investigations conducted by inspectors. However, they held that SPs could not be held responsible for the lapses committed by the inspectors. Therefore, the bench set aside the single-judge order that had directed disciplinary action against the five SPs.