Haryana Police Officers Seek Quashing of Criminal Proceedings in Gurugram School Murder Case

Strategic Insights -

Haryana police officers in the 2017 murder case of a seven-year-old student inside a Gurugram school have approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, arguing that the trial court took cognisance of the case without mandatory government sanction under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The officers, along with a senior assistant commissioner of police, are seeking to quash the criminal proceedings against them. They claim that the allegations against them stem from acts performed in the discharge of official duties, and therefore, they are entitled to protection under Section 197, which prohibits courts from taking cognisance of offences allegedly committed by public servants without prior government sanction.

Key Takeaways:

  • Two Haryana police officers and a senior assistant commissioner of police have approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the quashing of criminal proceedings against them in connection with the 2017 murder of a seven-year-old student inside a Gurugram school.
  • The officers argue that the trial court took cognisance of the case without mandatory government sanction under Section 197 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
  • They claim that the allegations against them stem from acts performed in the discharge of official duties and are entitled to protection under Section 197.
  • The petitioners include Senior Advocates Bipan Ghai, Vinod Ghai, Nikhil Ghai, Arnav Ghai, Akhil Godara, and R.S. Bagga.
  • The matter will now be heard on July 28.

Statistics:

  • 2017: The year in which the murder of a seven-year-old student inside a Gurugram school took place.
  • July 16: The date on which the Haryana police officers approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the quashing of criminal proceedings against them.
  • July 13: The date on which the CBI special judicial magistrate, Panchkula, passed an order that the petitioners challenged.
  • January 15, 2021: The date on which the same court had explicitly declined to take cognisance of the case due to the absence of sanction under Section 197 CrPC.

Sources:

  • Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from HT Gurgaon.