Justice Midha said the court is of the view that declaring a person as a Proclaimed Offender leads to a serious offence under Section 174A, punishable for a period upto 3 or 7 years. THE DELHI High Court has said it is necessary to ensure that legal processes regarding Proclaimed Offenders and attachment of their property are not issued in a routine manner and directed the Delhi Police Commissioner as well as the CBI Director to form an Internal Committee to formulate suggestions with respect to the issue. Justice J R Midha, in an order, said the report of the Committee be filed within a period of four weeks.
Till September 2019, as per records of Delhi Police, there were 26,532 proclaimed offenders in Delhi β 3,826 had been arrested, prosecution was launched against 1,601 and properties of 28 were attached.
Justice Midha said the court is of the view that declaring a person as a Proclaimed Offender leads to a serious offence under Section 174A, punishable for a period upto 3 or 7 years.
βIt affects the life and liberty of a person… and it is necessary to ensure that the process… is not issued in a routine manner,β said the court.