← Library
High Court of Punjab and HaryanaCRM-M/634/2021disposed of

Sompal v. State Of Punjab And ORS

2024-07-31Ms. Justice Nidhi Gupta4 pages

CRM-M-634-2021 (O&M) -1 -

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

CRM-M-634-2021 (O&M) Date of Decision: 31.07.2024 Sompal .... Petitioner

Versus

State of Punjab and others .... Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE NIDHI GUPTA Present: - Mr. Ashu Kaushik, Advocate and Mr. Shubh Karman Singh Sandhu, Advocate for Mr. Ranjan Lakhanpal, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Aakanksha Gupta, A.A.G., Punjab.

*** NIDHI GUPTA , J. (ORAL) Prayer in the present petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is for issuance of direction to the respondent-State to recover/search the petitioner's daughter Harpreet Kaur from the clutches of private respondents and to register a criminal case against them as per law. Learned counsel for the State has filed status report dated 30.07.2024 by way of an affidavit of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sub-Division Central, Jalandhar on behalf of respondents No. 1 to 4 in Court today and the same is taken on record. A copy thereof has been supplied to learned counsel for the petitioner. Learned counsel for the State refers to para Nos. 5 and 6 of

CRM-M-634-2021 (O&M) -2 - the said status report, which read as follows:- "5. That in compliance of the order dated 30.04.2021, Sh. Gupreet Singh Bhullar, IPS, the then Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar had filed an Affidavit dated 06.07.2021 in the present petition, wherein, it was mentioned that the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation), Jalandhar conducted a thorough preliminary enquiry into the matter and submitted a report dated 02.07.2021, in which, it was revealed that the daughter of the petitioner namely Harpreet Kaur had been working as a domestic helper for respondent No. 6 since January 2015. In August 2019, Harpreet left for her village and subsequently went missing after visiting her maternal uncle's house.

Further, efforts were initiated by the Jalandhar to locate the daughter of the petitioner namely Harpreet naur and the said efforts included contacting the Bureau of Immigration, issuing missing person advertisements and seeking information from various Police and other departments. Despite these efforts, no substantial evidence was found qua the averments of the petitioner qua the alleged confinement of the daughter of the petitioner by the private respondents.

Hence, it was concluded by the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation), Jalandhar the daughter of the petitioner, an adult, had voluntarily left her uncle's house and did not come back to his father i.e present petitioner.

6. That it would be pertinent to mention here that on 26.07.2024, fresh statement of the petitioner was recorded, in which, he stated that her daughter is still missing and her whereabouts were not found. Further, the SHO of Police Station Rama Mandi, Jalandhar initiated fresh efforts to get

CRM-M-634-2021 (O&M) -3 - any clue about the daughter of the petitioner and the details thereof is as follows:

I) All Station House Officers (SHOs) in Punjab State have been requested vide letter No. 542/5P dated 26.07.2024 that if any information about Harpreet Kaur is available at their police station or if any legal action has been taken against Harpreet Kaur, then the Station House Officer, Police Station Rama Mandi may be informed.

ii) All SHOs of General Railway Police have been requested vide letter No. 543/5P dated 26.07.2024 that if any information about Harpreet Kaur is available at their police station or if any legal action has been taken against Harpreet Kaur, then the Station House Officer, Police Station Rama Mandi may be informed.

iii) The President of the Hotel Association Jalandhar has been requested vide letter No.544/5P dated 26.07.2024 that if any room has been booked under the name of Harpreet Kaur since August 2019, then the Station House Officer, Police Station Rama Mandi may be informed.

iv) All Jail Superintendents of jails in Punjab State have been requested vide letter No. 545/5P dated 26.07.2024 that if Harpreet Kaur has been imprisoned in connection with any case, then the Station House Officer, Police Station Rama Mandi may be informed.

v) The Bureau of Immigration, Government of India has been requested vide letter No. 546/5P dated 26.07.2024 that the passport number of the daughter of the petitioner is R4338477, which is valid from September 25, 2017, to September 24, 2027 and if Harpreet Kaur has travelled to any foreign country, then the Station House Officer, Police Station Rama Mandi may be informed.

vi) Printed photographs of Harpreet Kaur have been posted at various bus stands and prominent public places,

CRM-M-634-2021 (O&M) -4 - requesting that if anyone has seen Harpreet Kaur, then the Station House Officer, Police Station Rama Mandi may be informed. In this regard, entry has been made at the Police Station Rama Mandi vide DDR No. 13 dated 27.07.2024." In view of the facts as noticed above, no further directions are required to be issued.

The present petition stands disposed of.

Pending application, if any, stands disposed of. 31.07.2024 (NIDHI GUPTA) Divyanshi JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned:

Yes/No