india

Updated: Aug 31, 2017 12:56 IST

A Hisar court that acquitted self-styled godman Rampal in two cases for lack of evidence on Tuesday has expressed disappointment with the shoddy police investigation.

The judgement by judicial magistrate (first class) Mukesh Kumar in his judgement read, “The whole case is an example of the worst investigation. The prosecution despite having every canon of law failed to follow the proper procedure prescribed in the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act.”

The court said even as the assistant public prosecutor during the course of hearing claimed that the while incident was videographed, the investigating officer failed to place on record any video recording.

It is recommended that investigation officer(s) should be well trained as every acquittal should be taken as the failure of justice delivery, the judgement says.

The court observed that investigating/prosecuting officials responsible for such acquittal must be identified and responsibility should be fixed for such errors committed during the investigation.

“The investigation officer is this case has miserably failed in discharging his duty. The prosecution has been instrumental in denying the cause of justice. Copy of this judgement be sent to the Hisar superintendent of police (SP) for necessary action,” the judgement says.

Rampal and hundreds of his followers were acquitted in two cases that were registered against them under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 426 (punishment for mischief); and sections 146 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 342 (wrongful confinement).

In 2014, police were ordered to arrest Rampal, after he failed to appear in the Punjab and Haryana high court repeatedly. When police officials reached his Satlok ashram in Barwala, Rampal’s followers barricaded themselves inside the premises and confronted them.