REETA RANI Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Reeta Rani, the petitioner has brought this petition under the provisions of section 482 Cr.P.C. seeking directions to respondents No. 2 to 4 to provide protection to the life and liberty of the petitioner and her family members from the hands of respondents No. 5 to 11 or any other person at their behest as also for directions to respondents No. 2 to 4 to investigate the matter regarding the alleged involvement of petitioner's son Chetan Puri in various false and blind cases bearing FIR Nos. 316 dated 27.7.2010, 120 dated 18.9.2010, 252 dated 30.10.2010, 229 dated 8.12.2010 and 2 dated 6.1.2011, got registered at the behest of Harish Bedi, the local MLA in order to pressurize the petitioner to compromise the case registered by way of FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010 at Police Station Salem Tabri, District Ludhiana for an offence punishable under sections 148, 323, 324, 354, 452, 506 read with section 149 of Indian Penal Code with respondents No. 5 to 11. She has also sought directions to respondents No. 2 to 4 to investigate the case registered by way of FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010 and to proceed with the same in accordance with law.

(2.) Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner is mother of Chetan Puri. According to her, Chetan Puri is aged 24 years and is working with his father in the family business of hosiery. She has further submitted that Deepak Kumar, respondent No.5 had been a neighbour and friend of Chetan Puri. He was helping the petitioner in various domestic chores. According to her, on 10.5.2010, the petitioner found her purse to be missing and she asked Deepak Kumar, respondent No. 5, in this regard. Annoyed with this, he went away and brought his friends i.e. respondents No. 6 to 11, who pelted stones at the house of the petitioner and gave beating to the petitioner and her family members. The people of the locality came to their rescue and on their arrival, they ran away. The petitioner also made a call to police at No. 100. Police came to enquire, to whom a written complaint was made, but no action was taken thereon. She has further submitted that in the night intervening 11 th and 12 th May, 2010, at about 1.00 AM respondents No. 5 to 11 alongwith 20-25 persons armed with swords and various other weapons forcibly entered the house of the petitioner and had brutally beaten the petitioner and her family members. According to her, the petitioner again approached Police Station, Salem Tabri, District Ludhiana wherefrom an ASI and a constable came to the spot and took some photographs, but no action was taken. She has further submitted that on 23.5.2010, respondents No. 5 to 11 came to her house with an intention to kill her. The petitioner and her family members managed to save themselves with the help of residents of the locality. After respondents left the place, the petitioner again called the police and in response to her call, ASI Virenderjit Singh and some police constables came to the spot. However, nothing was done this time also. Respondent No. 9 is the uncle of respondent no.5. He keeps threatening the petitioner and her family members that Harish Bedi, the local MLA is very close to him and that he will get the entire family implicated in some false criminal case. Apprehending danger from him, the petitioner made several applications to the police and other authorities. She has further submitted that at last, FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010 was registered at Police Station Salem Tabri, District Ludhiana for an offence punishable under sections 148, 323, 324, 354, 452, 506 read with section 149 IPC. She kept making requests for investigation of the matter in accordance with law and to seek protection of life and liberty of the family, but to no effect. She has further submitted that thereafter, respondent No. 9, who is close associate of MLA Harish Bedi got a blind FIR No. 2 dated 6.1.2011 registered at Police Station Daresi under sections 382, 341 and 506 IPC. The police picked up Chetan Puri on 15.1.2011. On 18.1.2011, the petitioner came to know that her son Chetan Puri has been arrested for his involvement in about 11 cases. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that these FIRs are pertaining to the period after the lodging of FIR against respondents No. 5 to 11 by the petitioner.

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that Chetan Puri was never involved in any case earlier to the registration of FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010. She has further submitted that respondent No. 9, who is an accused in FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010 is complainant in FIR No. 2 dated 6.1.2011. She has further submitted that he was well acquainted with Chetan Puri and despite that, he did not name Chetan Puri in the FIR. She has further submitted that Chetan Puri has not been identified by any complainant in all the FIRs and not even test identification parade had been got conducted in any of those cases. She has further submitted that all these FIRs and involvement of Chetan Puri in those cases has been got done with a view to put pressure on the petitioner for a compromise in the case registered by way of FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010. According to her, the partisan attitude of the police is apparent from the fact that challan has been presented in the case registered by way of FIR No. 100 dated 28.5.2010 but section 452 IPC has not been added to the case despite the fact that there was clear evidence to that effect.