District police chief cant order further investigation; SC verdicts on Kottayam job fraud case

NEW DELHI: The power to order further investigation lies with the Magistrate or High Court but not police chiefs, reiterated the Supreme Court. SC made the verdict while considering a case of job fraud where Rs 3.83 lakh were taken from seven people in the promise of clerk postings in Kottayam rubber board.

“The Chief Police Officer of a district is the Superintendent of Police who is an officer of the Indian Police Service. The order from the police chief won't be equal to one made by the concerned Magistrate” viewed Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Sanjay Karol.

In 2015, a case was registered by Vaikkom police regarding job fraud. However, lack of proper evidence made the case fall behind. Kottayam district police chief thus ordered a further investigation by Vaikkom SI which led to a chargesheet being framed in the case. The accused reached the high court with petitions but never got the required respite. It was the supreme court that dismissed the high court decision with the current verdict.