Azad Singh v. The State (Govt Of NCT Of Delhi) & ORS

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ AZAD SINGH ..... Petitioner Through:

Mr. Prashant Manchanda, Advocate with Mr. Raj Kumar Sharma and Mr. Asif Zamir, Advocates versus THE STATE (GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI) & ORS. ..... Respondents Through:

Mr. Rahul Mehra, Standing Counsel (Crl.) with Mr. Chaitanya Gosain and Mr. Prashant Singh Advocates for State with SI Ramesh Kaushik, PS Crime Branch.

CORAM:

JUSTICE S.MURALIDHAR JUSTICE I.S.MEHTA

O R D E R

% 20.03.2018

1. This is a petition filed way back in February 2016 by the Petitioner concerned about his daughter having gone missing since 5th February 2014 i.e. more than four years earlier.

2. From the first date of its listing i.e. 12th February 2016, till now the petition has been heard on several occasions. Numerous status reports have been filed by the Respondent keeping the Court updated on the current status of the investigation. During this period of two years when the matter was listed in the Court the investigation was taken over by the Anti Human

Trafficking Unit ('AHTU')/Crime Brach, A number of steps have been taken to trace the missing person who incidentally is an adult. Polygraph tests and Narco tests have been conducted on several persons suspected of having some information about the missing person. The Court is informed that nothing useful has emerged from these tests. However, the Court is assured that the police will continue its efforts in the same vein. Wireless transmission messages have been sent to agencies all across the country. It is stated that efforts are on by searching for the missing girl at various institutions all over the country.

3. Learned counsel for the Petitioner urges that this Court should keep the matter pending for some more time as he is apprehensive that if the High Court disposes of the petition, the efforts by the AHTU/Crime Branch in tracing the girl will not continue with the same intensity.

4. The Court sees no reason for such apprehension. The Court has been assured by Mr. Mehra on behalf f the State that there will be no slackening of efforts by the AHTU in tracing the girl.

5. The Court accordingly disposes of the petition with the following directions:

(i) The Assistant Commissioner of Police ('ACP') AHTU/ Crime Branch, Sector 16 Rohini, in charge of the investigation, will keep the Petitioner informed at least once in every four weeks of the progress in investigation. (ii) Periodical status reports, at least one every month till the conclusion of

the investigation, will be filed before the Magistrate concerned in FIR No. 148/2014 registered under Section 365 IPC at PS Kanjhawala. (iii) If the Petitioner is not satisfied with the progress of the investigation after a period of six months, it will be open to the Petitioner to seek such remedies that are available to him in accordance with law. S. MURALIDHAR, J.

I.S. MEHTA, J.

MARCH 20, 2018 nd