WARNING FOR ACTION AGAINST THE OFFICER IN 1999 BIHAR DOWRY MURDER CASE

WARNING FOR ACTION AGAINST THE OFFICER IN 1999 BIHAR DOWRY MURDER CASE

16^TH DECEMBER 2020

The Supreme Court has held that stringent actions had to be taken against delinquent officers while hearing the bail petition filed by a man accused of murdering his wife for want of dowry in 1999.

The Apex Court perused the reports filed by the state of Bihar as well as the Registrar General. It said that they are not satisfied with the reasons given in the said report regarding the inordinate delay in the investigation and prosecution of the petitioner.

The grounds for delay stated in the report that there were 11 investigating officers in the case, who were frequently changed, which was the main cause for inordinate delay in investigating the case.

Furthermore, the Apex Court held that even after the seriousness of the allegations, it is quite alarming that the police took no action against Pandey. After the span of more than 21 years since the incident and the registration of the FIR, Pandey was arrested in the case only on June 7 this year