Submit footage against cops directly: HC to ‘framed’ tailor

CHANDIGARH: In one of the most embarrassing cases for Punjab Police, Punjab and Haryana high court has permitted a tailor allegedly booked in a false drug case to directly submit CCTV footage from outside his shop to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), reports Ajay Sura.

Usually, police investigators submit such footage but in this case, Babu Khan claimed he was framed after he asked some local cops to clear dues for stitching their uniforms at his shop in Ludhiana’s Malerkotla.

HC’s Justice Alok Jain went further, asking the tailor to prepare an authenticated copy for his own record before submitting the CCTV’s original digital video recorder footage to CFSL.

HC asked a special investigation team (SIT) probing the matter to submit a report at the next hearing on Feb 26 and to take action against policemen if the charges were found to be true.

Justice Jain passed these orders after Khan’s counsel said he had no trust in the SIT, Khan has sought a CBI probe.

The state counsel, however, told HC that the SIT had looked into the matter and had sent the pen drive and photographs to CFSL for authentication, but the lab had requested the original DVR.

On Dec 14 last year, HC was informed by Punjab govt that the SIT was formed and led by the IG of Faridkot to conduct a fair investigation.