Facing the threat of an arrest warrant, Tamil Nadu Home Secretary Dheeraj Kumar appeared before the Madras High Court on Friday evening, complying with the directive of Justice P Velmurugan.
The judge instructed the bureaucrat to familiarize himself with police operations at the ground level and ensure that FIRs and Final Reports are filed promptly within the statutory time frame while following due procedure.
Advertisement
The court was hearing a petition regarding an excessive delay in filing a Final Report in a case. On January 29, Justice Velmurugan had ordered the Home Secretary to appear in person on January 31 to provide clarity on the numerous cases where the police had exhibited negligence.
However, on Friday morning, the Additional Advocate General requested the court to excuse the official from appearing personally. The court, in response, asserted that unless he had secured a stay from the Supreme Court, he must appear by 4:30 PM, failing which an arrest warrant would be issued.
Appearing before the court, the Home Secretary presented a comprehensive report on the steps and initiatives taken by the department to ensure compliance with procedural requirements.
“Not everyone can approach the court seeking directions for the registration of FIRs or the filing of Final Reports before the jurisdictional magistrate. The department must ensure that the common people are not inconvenienced,” Justice Velmurugan remarked.
He emphasized that summoning the official was intended to make him aware of ground realities and the hardships faced by ordinary citizens.
In an earlier order summoning the Home Secretary, the judge had observed: “This Court is uncertain whether the concerned Secretary to the Government is aware of the illegal practices prevalent within the police department, which cause significant inconvenience to poor litigants and the public.”
The directive was issued in response to a petition filed by Sundar of Virugambakkam, Chennai, seeking an order for the police to submit a Final Report in a case registered against him in 2015. When the government advocate conceded that the police had failed to file the report despite closing the case, the judge lamented that such lapses were not uncommon in Tamil Nadu.
