RAWALPINDI:
The Rawalpindi police have come under scrutiny for not submitting provisional challans to the courts within the required time frame.
According to sources, the situation has prompted senior officials to take action.
They said the Senior Superintendent of Police Investigation (SSP) expressed concern over delays in submitting challans for ongoing cases.
To address the issue, the SSP has directed station house officers (SHOs) and investigation officers to provide certificates confirming timely submission of provisional challans.
The incident arose during an evaluation of the performance of investigative officers carried out by senior police officials.
Since then, a notification titled ‘Provisional Cases Under Investigation Challan 2024’ has been issued to Rawalpindi divisional police officers including SP Rawal, SP Potohar and SP Saddar.
According to the notification, a review of the case files of 2024 revealed that while numerous cases were registered across the three divisions, the investigating officers had not submitted interim challans to the concerned courts within the stipulated period of 17 days.
The SSP probe has directed divisional officers to ensure compliance by directing SHOs and investigators to prepare and submit challans for all pending cases by December 18, 2024.
Further, the SPs and their staff have been directed to obtain clearance certificates from the SHOs and submit them to the SSP inquiry by December 29, 2024.
Despite these directives, sources indicate that many agents have yet to act, leaving numerous cases in limbo.
Speaking to The Express PAkGazette, a senior police officer highlighted the legal requirements of section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
He explained that the police are legally required to submit challans to the courts within 14 to 17 days of registering the case. This process, he noted, ensures that the courts remain informed about the details of the case and police actions, thereby maintaining transparency and accountability.
