After the Supreme Court’s strict action over the use of identical witnesses in multiple criminal cases in Indore, the police department has initiated departmental action against four officers. The Khajrana police station in-charge has been demoted, while Chandan Nagar police station in-charge Indramani Patel has been removed from the post and attached to the police lines.
Questions were raised over the repeated use of the same person or a select group of people as witnesses in cases registered at different police stations in Indore. The number of such cases is reported to be more than 2,000.
Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the police department reviewed old cases and the roles of the officers concerned. Departmental action was subsequently initiated against the officers held responsible.
Several police stations in Indore came under scrutiny in connection with cases involving repeated witnesses. Four officers have faced departmental action.
The in-charge of Khajrana police station was also subjected to departmental action and was demoted.
Indramani Patel, the in-charge of Chandan Nagar police station, also faced action. During the Supreme Court hearing in a case related to the police station, the court expressed serious displeasure over an incorrect affidavit and the alleged use of pocket witnesses. Following this, the police department removed Patel from the post with immediate effect and attached him to the police lines.
Questions had earlier been raised over the same person appearing as a witness in multiple cases at police stations including Bhanwarkuan, Khajrana, Tejaji Nagar and Rajendra Nagar.
In one case, the issue of two people allegedly being repeatedly used as witnesses in 165 cases registered during a single year reached the Supreme Court.
During the hearing related to the Chandan Nagar case, questions were also raised over alleged pocket witnesses. The Supreme Court expressed b displeasure after such witnesses were allegedly presented again despite the issue having been brought before the court. The court directed immediate action against the concerned station in-charge.
The repeated appearance of the same witness in multiple cases has raised questions over the police investigation process and the manner in which cases were prepared. The independence of witnesses and their actual role in such cases have also come under scrutiny.
Following the Supreme Court’s strict action, the police department is reviewing witnesses used in old cases and the roles of the police officers concerned.
