2 Lacks FIRs closed, HC seeks explanation from DGP, Home Secretary

Justice MV Muralidharan on wondering whether the TN police were doing any work, said, “Though CrPC provided such power to Magistrates, they cannot close FIRs in such large numbers without trying to find out the reasons behind why the charge sheets were not filed by the police.”

Based on this, the judge on suo motu impleading the Home Secretary and DGP directed them to file an explanationby January 25.

Justice Muralidharan on coming to know during a hearing that the Avinashi Judicial Magistrate had closed 87 FIRs at one shot, all for non-filing of charge sheets, had directed the HC registry on December 18, 2018 to call for particulars of suchclosure orders.

Based on this, the registry filed a consolidated report informing the court that 2.14 lakh FIRs had been closed in five years. Kancheepuram topped the list with closure of 28,573 FIRs followed by Madurai and Cuddalore with 26,351 and 14,301 FIRs.

In Chennai, 13,836 FIRs registered during the same period were closed.

The case pertains to a civil appeal moved by a Tirupur-based knitting company against the Commissioner of employees’ compensation granting Rs 3.94 lakh damages to an employee, K Sasikumar, who died in an accident while at work in 2010. Sasikumar’s family had filed a complaint against the hospital where he was admitted for providing wrong treatment and an FIRwas registered.

But when the HC sought a report from the Uthukuli Police station and the hospital, it was told that the FIR was closed for non-filing of charge sheet.