Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh RTS Commission fines Police officer Rs 10,000 for denial of service
Orders immediate delivery of DDR copy
By Ramesh Goyat
Chandigarh, May 16, 2025 – In a landmark decision, the Chandigarh Right to Service Commission has imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on Inspector Om Prakash, SHO of Sector 49 Police Station, for failing to provide a copy of a Daily Diary Report (DDR) requested by complainant Navjot Lehal. The Commission has also ordered the immediate delivery of the DDR copy to the applicant.
Navjot Lehal had sought a copy of DDR No. 057 dated November 6, 2024, related to FIR No. 9/2018 (dated January 18, 2018).The original complainant in the FIR was Navjot’s father, Gurmukh Singh Lehal, who has since been replaced by Navjot as the complainant. As per the Right to Service Act, the copy should have been provided within one hour, but no action was taken by the SHO.
After being denied the service, Lehal appealed first to the SDPO (South), and then to the SSP, UT Chandigarh. Both appeals were dismissed. Lehal subsequently filed a revision petition with the Commission.
The Commission found that the SHO had no legal justification for denying the service. His argument—that providing the DDR could affect an investigation—was dismissed as invalid, since the service is notified under the RTS Act and is bound to be delivered in a time-bound manner.
The Commission also noted that the SHO misled appellate authorities and failed to refute the documentary evidence submitted by the complainant.
Inconsistencies were highlighted, including an instance where similar documents had been provided in a different case, exposing contradictions in the SHO's stand.
As a penalty, the Commission has:
- Imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on SHO Om Prakash.
- Directed that ₹5,000 be paid to Navjot Lehal as compensation.
- Ordered the SSP, UT Chandigarh to ensure that boards listing services under the RTS Act are prominently displayed at all police offices and made visible on the department’s official website.
The directive came after it was revealed that RTS-related boards were either missing or not prominently displayed in the offices of the SDPO (South) and SSP.
Chief Commissioner Dr. Mahavir Singh (IAS, Retd.) remarked that the SHO’s actions were a clear case of dereliction of duty and an attempt to withhold a citizen’s rightful service.
He further instructed the DGP, UT Chandigarh, to recover the fine and disburse compensation to the petitioner. Directions were also issued to ensure timely delivery of all RTS-notified services in police stations across the Union Territory.