LAHORE: In order to ensure timely provision of justice to the masses and extend cooperation with the courts for speedy trials, special SOPs [standard operating procedures] have been issued by Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Amjad Javed Saleemi, the implementation of which will be ensured by the RPOs and DPOs across Punjab.
According to the SOPs, the collection of evidence from the crime scene will be the prime responsibility of the investigation officer, besides preparation of a detailed report in this regard. The investigation officer will also ensure transparency while preparing the report without implicating any innocent individual.
Moreover, the investigation officer will be responsible to enter his proceedings in the investigation diary having details such as the places visited by him and statement of circumstances ascertaining through his investigation.
Under the SOPs, the same procedure will be followed by the investigation officers on the district and regional levels.
The investigation of all registered cases will be completed without unnecessary delay whereas the investigation officers will also ensure submission of challans within a period of 14 days at any cost.
In case of non-completion of the investigation, an interim report will be submitted in the court concerned by the investigation officer of the case. All CCPOs, CPOs and DPOs will ensure strict compliance in this regard.
The SOPs further state that only those investigation officers can appear before the superior courts, who are directly involved in the investigation process. Moreover, they will appear with the complete record, postmortem report, Medico-Legal Reports (MLR), Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) reports and other required documents.
The DPOs will be responsible for monitoring of under investigation cases to ensure its completion within the stipulated time period, besides making it an integral agenda of the monthly crime meeting.
All DPOs will discuss the under investigation cases on a monthly basis in a meeting of criminal justice coordination committees and take up the matter with the district and sessions judges concerned.
