HC seeks Delhi Police stand on contempt plea over failure to examine inspector’s conduct

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of the Delhi Police chief and other personnel on a plea seeking contempt proceedings against them for allegedly failing to comply with directions to conclude a departmental inquiry against an inspector.

In February 2025, the High Court had passed orders directing the ACP concerned to inquire into the “callous conduct” of the inspector who did not conclude the investigation in an FIR for nine years and then did not file a status report on a petition seeking quashing of the case.

The FIR was registered under Section 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.

On September 9, Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the ACP concerned and the inspector on the contempt petition by the person against whom the FIR was registered in 2016.

“Let affidavit be filed by the respondents, within a period of four weeks,” the court said in the order, as it listed the matter for hearing in February.

Represented by lawyer Ujwal Ghai, the petitioner submitted that the FIR against him was “frivolous”, but the inspector did not conclude the investigation for nine years, which caused humiliation to him till it was finally quashed by the High Court in August.

The plea informed that while dealing with the quashing petition, the High Court in February 2025 considered that a chargesheet was yet to be filed in the case and gave a judicial finding against the conduct of the investigating officer, directing the ACP concerned to initiate an inquiry against him.

The High Court was subsequently informed that a department inquiry had been initiated, but no further status report was ever filed on the outcome of the proceedings against the inspector, the plea alleged.

The petition also informed that during the pendency of the quashing petition, a chargesheet was filed, but the trial court refused to take cognisance and instead requested the DCP concerned to initiate action against the inspector as per the law.

“It is submitted that the Respondents have taken the directions of this Hon’ble Court for granted as the same has not been complied with since February 2025… .”

Further, a compliance report has not been filed on as many as five dates and they “even concealed about the non-compliance of the order passed by the Hon’ble High Court on last date of hearing i.e. 10.08.2026 when the case was finally disposed of”, the petition argued.

“The Respondent No. 1 & 2 (Commissioner and ACP) have flouted the sanctity of the directions issued by this Constitutional Court and have undermined the majesty of this Hon’ble Court which should be dealt with iron hands in a strict and stern manner,” the plea added.