By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 14 Mar: The Uttarakhand State Police Complaints Authority (USPCA) has found former Senior Superintendent of Police of Dehradun Janmejaya Khanduri and the then Station House Officer (SHO) Clement Town Police Station Narendra Gehlawat guilty of misconduct while hearing a complaint related to an alleged property-grabbing incident involving the wife of a soldier in the state capital. The Authority has recommended disciplinary action against the two officers to the Home Department.
It may be recalled that the issue pertains to a complaint filed by a 69-year-old woman, Kusum Kapoor, a resident of Clement Town in Dehradun and the wife of a retired army officer. While hearing the case, the bench of the Uttarakhand State Police Complaints Authority, in its order dated March 12, has observed that the incident had caused the complainant economic, physical, mental and social harm and that this amounted to a violation of her human rights. Garhwal Post had also published several reports tin the year 2022 in this case.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on January 7, 2022 when Kusum Kapoor had travelled to Noida for medical treatment. During her absence, a person identified as Amit Yadav, allegedly in collusion with Mona Randhawa, reportedly arrived at her residence with 30 to 40 armed men and forcibly entered the property. The complaint further alleged that the group demolished several portions of the house and also looted household belongings.
Despite repeated information being given to the local police station, the then Station House Officer (SHO) Narendra Gehlawat allegedly failed to take any cognition of the complaint and did not take any action in the matter. In fact, as per the allegations then levelled by the lady, the complainant was threatened by the police officer and warned of the possibility of a case being registered against her. The complainant also attempted several times to meet the then Senior Superintendent of Police Janmejaya Khanduri, but could not secure an appointment with him.
According to the complaint, it was only after the intervention of the then Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar that a First Information Report (FIR) was registered on 17 January, 2022, several days after the incident. It was on the intervention of the then DGP that the harassment of the lady was stopped by the SHO and the then SSP. After hearing the submissions of the complainant as well as those of the other party, the Uttarakhand State Police Complaints Authority concluded that the conduct of the then SSP and the then Station House Officer amounted to misconduct and recommended disciplinary proceedings against them.
