By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Wednesday came down heavily on the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Tihar Jail authorities for lack of co-ordination, as a result of which an undertrial in a drug seizure case was at large for more than a month.
It sought an explanation from the director general of Tihar Jail as well as from DRI for not arresting Satpal Juneja, facing trial for possessing heroin, since his interim bail expired Feb 28.
The court issued a contempt notice to Juneja for flouting its order for his surrender after his bail was not extended Feb 25.
Directing the DRI to initiate an inquiry into the lapse, Justice S. Muralidhar said: “It seems there is lack of co-ordination between DRI and Tihar Jail. Both keep passing the buck to each other and the undertrials will have very happy days.”
The court asked Tihar authorities as well as the DRI to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks explaining their lapses in arresting Juneja.
The court learnt of the lapses after Juneja filed a plea for regular bail and a notice was issued to both Tihar Jail and the DRI.
According to prosecution, Juneja was arrested by the DRI in January 2001 for possessing heroin. In May last year, the accused was granted interim bail by the court on health grounds and again in October 2008. The bail was extended for four more months and the bail expired Feb 28 this year.
Since then, the accused is moving scot free and no arrest was made by the investigating agency, as per the prosecution.