Chennai police chief appears in HC

Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police S George today appeared in Madras High Court complying with its directive in a matter related to filing of a report on pending cases with the Central Crime Branch (CCB).

George, accompanied by Additional Commissioner of Police S N Sehasayee and other officials, appeared before Justice S Vaidyanathan, who had summoned him for the failure of police to file the report by the stipulated date.

The Judge had on March 20 cautioned that he might issue a non-bailable arrest warrant if the CoP failed to appear on March 27 but later advanced the date for today at Public Prosecutor Rajarathinam's request.
 

The matter relates to a petition in which the Judge had sought details of pending cases with CCB till 2011 by December 6 last year. He had then ordered if the report was not filed, the CoP would have to appear in court and give explanation.

On March 20, the Additional Public Prosecutor had sought to dispense with the personal appearance of the CoP, saying the report had been filed.

However, the Judge refused to take note of the report, saying it was not there in the case file when he perused it on Friday last. However, the cause list for Monday showed that the report had been filed, he had said.

He had then ordered the CoP to appear in the court and also directed the court registry to find out who had inserted the report in the file without his knowledge.

When the matter came up today, the CoP appeared before the Judge and the Public Prosecutor submitted the report.

He said in some of the cases the delay in filing charge sheet was due to stay ordered by the court, while some others related to land grabbing were pending in Supreme Court.

All other cases would be taken up and finalised within six months, the PP said.

Questioning the failure to arrest the accused after their bail and anticipatoary bail applications had been dismissed, the Judge said there was no need for a specific order from the court in these cases to detain the accused.

The Judge dispensed with further appearance of the CoP and posted the matter for further hearing to Septmber 20.