Missing NRI girl's case: HC attaches Tarn Taran SSP's salary, summons home secretary

Dissatisfied over the probe in a missing NRI girl case, the Punjab and Haryana high court has ordered attachment of the Tarn Taran SSP's salary and summoned the Punjab home secretary on the next date of hearing.

The SSP has twice failed twice to appear before the court despite the orders and the court is not satisfied with the probe so far.

The 18-year-old girl had gone missing from the Golden Temple area in Amritsar on the intervening night of August 12-13, 2014. The petitioner lodged a complaint with Tarn Taran police on September 26, 2014. But the FIR was registered on October 17, days before the family moved the high court on October 22.

When the hearing in the case began on May 28, the single judge bench of justice Fatehdeep Singh asked about the SSP, who again was not present. The court was perturbed over the fact that despite two orders from the court, the SSP failed to appear.

The high court observed that in spite of directions the officer had failed to comply with the orders and no "worthwhile explanation" could be put forth. "In light of the reticence shown by the officer, his salary is ordered to be attached. Let necessary intimation be sent to the drawing and disbursing officer concerned," the high court single judge bench said while asking the state home secretary to take necessary administrative action against the officer for such a "lapse" as similar pattern had come to light in the past as well. The home secretary has also been directed to personally appear before the court along with the SSP on July 2.

The petitioners had come to know about the FIR in the court only. As they were checking for the missing girl independently, they started getting threat calls. Police were intimated about it, but no action was taken. The petitioner family themselves got hold of details of those making threat calls, but the police failed to take any action, the petitioner family had told the court.
The high court kept on summoning status reports since October. It was on April 29, when dissatisfied over the investigations, the high court asked the SSP to remain present in court on May 20. The May 29 order was passed as on Friday also, the SSP could not appear before the court.