The Delhi High Court came down hard on the city’s police force, expressing shock at its sluggish approach to a case that has languished since 2016. The matter, involving allegations of insulting a woman’s modesty under Section 509 of the IPC, has seen little progress despite nearly a decade passing.
The accused, frustrated by the lingering cloud of a pending FIR, petitioned for its dismissal last year, arguing that the lack of a chargesheet has unfairly prolonged his ordeal. When the court took up the matter, it found the Delhi Police’s investigative efforts—if they could even be called that—sorely lacking.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora noted that although the petition had been in play since early 2024, and the police had been duly notified, no status report had been filed, nor had the investigation wrapped up. The court minced no words, calling out the Investigating Officer (IO) for blatant inaction.
“The court is surprised at the callous attitude of the IO, who, despite being on notice since January 2024, has neither submitted a status report nor completed the investigation,” the judge remarked.
With patience wearing thin, the court directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police to step in, demanding a status report within a week. Additionally, the ACP was tasked with launching an internal inquiry to determine why the IO had failed to act. A detailed timeline of investigative steps taken since January 2024 was also ordered.
As legal representatives from both sides presented their arguments, the underlying issue remained clear: nine years after the case was registered, the wheels of justice had barely turned.
