New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) A court here has deprecated police officials for not serving summonses on the witnesses in a case and directed the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) to take "necessary action" in the matter.

Hearing a case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, the court noted that though summonses were sent for being served on the witnesses through the V-B branch, no report regarding the same submitted to it.

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The V-B branch, present at every police station, is entrusted with the responsibility of service of summonses, court notices and warrants.

The prosecution informed the court that the V-B officials did not take the summonses for service upon the witnesses because of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls that were held recently.

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"I cannot appreciate such conduct and approach of the official concerned from the V-B branch. Not sending the summonses issued by the court for service upon the witnesses is misconduct and such suo motu decision taken by the official concerned not to even send any kind of report to the court aggravates this misconduct," Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala said in an order passed last week.

The judge said as there was sufficient time for the service of the summonses, the matter is referred to the DCP (crime) to take stock of such conduct on the part of the officials and initiate appropriate steps.

The court directed that a copy of the order be sent to the DCP concerned for taking necessary action.

The rioting case was registered by the Karawal Nagar police station against accused Lakhpat Rajora and others.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)