Closure of 2.15 lakh FIRs in 5 years shocks Madras high court

Chennai: Appalled over the closure of 2,14,901 FIRs from the year 2009 to 2014 for non-filing of charge sheet, the Madras high court has suo motu impleaded Director General of Police and state Home Secretary as parties to a case and directed them to file report in this regard.

After it was brought to the notice of the court that 87 FIRs were closed due to non-filing of charge sheet from the year 2006 to 2014 in Tirupur district, Justice M.V.Muralidaran had on December 18, directed the Registrar General to call for particulars from all the Magistrates in the state relating to closing of FIRs for non-filing of charge sheet within the statutory period, at least for the period from 2009 to 2014.

Accordingly, when the case came up for hearing on Friday, the Registrar General filed a report, which stated that totally 2, 14, 901 FIRs were closed across the state due to non-filing of FIRs.

Shocked over the total figure, the judge said this was totally intolerable figure. The report shows the dereliction of duty on the part of the police. The police have colluded with the accused and closed the FIRs. The magistrates also failed in their duty. They have not applied their mind. They mechanically exercised their powers under section 468 Cr.P.C and closed the FIRs, the judge added.

Public prosecutor A.Natarajan said a separate team should be appointed for conducting the investigation like State of Bombay to avoid these types of incidents in future. Some guidelines should be given not only to the police but also to the magistrate through out the state, Natarajan added.

The judge posted to January 25, further hearing of the appeal filed by Safire Print Lab Knits and Woven Fabric, Tirupur against the order of the Commissioner for Employee’s Compensation/Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Coonoor, awarding a compensation of Rs 3.94 lakh to the legal heirs of the deceased K. Sasikumar.

It was the stand of the legal heirs of the deceased that, during the course of employment of the deceased with the appellant company, he sustained injuries and he was taken to TMF Hospital, Tirupur, where 

it was alleged that wrong treatment was given to the deceased.

 A complaint was lodged by the brother of the deceased against the said hospital and FIR was registered on February 17, 2010. During the pendency of the criminal case, they filed a claim petition before the Commissioner of Labour, who awarded the compensation.

When the appeal came up for hearing on December 6, to ascertain the status of the criminal case, the judge directed the Inspector of Police, Uthukuli police station to file a report along with relevant documents.

Accordingly, when the case came up for hearing on December 18, Additional public prosecutor produced a letter dated June 8, 2016 of the Judicial Magistrate, Avinasi, addressed to the Inspector of Police, Uthukuli police station, informing him about closure of FIR for non-filing of charge sheet, besides closure of 86 other FIRs.