New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) A Delhi court Friday granted 10 days to the police to probe why former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and his brother Govind Kanda were ignoring the court’s warrant in cheque bounce case.
Metropolitan magistrate Vikrant Vaid asked the police to file a compliance report on its order on what steps were taken against Kanda for ignoring court’s order of appearing before it despite various summons and warrants.
Kanda and his brother were declared proclaimed offenders in May after they ignored court summons and warrants in a 1998 case of a Rs.4 lakh cheque bounce.
Although the case was sorted out between the parties Aug 27 and court let off the accused, it asked the police to file a reply on investigation on the offence of proclaimed offender.
“The offence under section 174 A (proclaimed offender) and section 138 of Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act (cheque bounce) are two distinct offences. The acquittal of the accused in the compoundable offence under section 138 of NI act does not bar investigation into the offence under section 174 A of IPC,” Vaid said.
The police submitted a report and sought more time. They requested the court to supply certified copies of its order to investigate further.
“The police is under legal obligation to register a First Information Report in such a case and investigate it,” the court had said.
The court has fixed the matter for hearing Sept 10.
If Kanda is convicted under section 174 A (proclaimed offender), he can get a maximum punishment of three years.
Kanda is currently in judicial custody for allegedly abetting the suicide of 23-year-old former air hostess Geetika Sharma.
–Indo- Asian News Service
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