The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a directive to Chandigarh’s Director General of Police (DGP) to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged murder of a practicing lawyer. The lawyer reportedly succumbed to injuries after being assaulted by fellow advocates within the District Court Complex.

Justice Kuldeep Tiwari, while delivering the order, stated:

"Although this Court is not taking cognizance of the allegations enclosed in the instant writ petition with regard to the investigation/investigating officer, however, purely with an intent to maintain the faith of the parties in the system and to ensure transparency in the investigation, this Court, with the concurrence of all the parties, deems it appropriate to direct the Director General of Police, Chandigarh, to constitute a Special Investigation Team."

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The Court has mandated that the SIT, to be led by an IPS officer, will oversee the investigation into all three First Information Reports (FIRs) registered concerning the incident. Furthermore, the functioning of this Special Investigation Team will be directly monitored by the DGP of Chandigarh.

"It is expected that the Special Investigation Team would expeditiously conclude the investigation, preferably within four months...," the judge ordered.

Background of the Case

Advocate Gaurav Datta, representing the petitioner—the brother of the deceased—argued that despite an FIR being registered in October 2024, the police failed to take any action against the accused individuals.

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The petitioner's legal team contended that multiple representations were submitted, urging action on the FIR. The petitioner also requested that the case be investigated by a senior police officer or transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing concerns over a potential conflict of interest, as one of the accused is allegedly related to a high-ranking Chandigarh police official. Despite these efforts, no action was taken by the authorities.

After reviewing the petition, the High Court refrained from making observations on the allegations but emphasized the importance of a transparent investigation. Consequently, the Court directed the formation of the SIT under the supervision of the Chandigarh DGP.

Title: HARDEEP HANS v. THE STATE OF UT CHANDIGARH AND OTHERS