ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that any person who wants to be a part of a disciplined force should be a person of utmost integrity and integrity with unblemished, unblemished character and clean antecedents.
The court also emphasized the importance of proper and impartial investigation in criminal cases, noting that the police is a disciplined force with significant responsibility and accountability for maintaining law and order in society.
“Undoubtedly, the Investigating Officer (IO) plays a key role in the administration of the criminal justice system and is part of the investigative report, and is of immense value and impact on the outcome of any criminal case.
“Sometimes, however, a botched investigation can become a major obstacle and a stumbling block in the administration of justice,” said the eight-page judgment authored by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.
Justice Mazhar headed a three-judge bench that heard the appeal of a police official dismissed from service by the Sindh Service Tribunal over a flawed investigation into a minor rape case. The bench upheld the verdict of the tribunal.
The SC’s order said botched investigations could be either intentional to favor the accused or unintentional due to inefficiency, incompetence or incompetence of the IO.
“Criminal justice means the process of deciding criminal cases to punish the guilty for the crime they have committed. The primary objective is to punish the offender subject to proof that the crime has been committed or not.”
“This very important aspect is linked to the prosecution’s burden of proof, which has a direct bearing on the investigation report and the material and evidence collected by the IO in the discharge of his sacred duty to reveal the truth without engaging in any manipulation, or favouritism or exceeding the limits of the law”.
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The Oversight Committee noted that flawed investigations are gradually contaminating the judicial process and posing a risk to human rights. Uniformly, superior officers and officers at police stations must ensure that the IO conscientiously follows the provisions of the Act.
“The task of investigation is an art and extensive on-the-job training is also required to achieve proficiency in investigative work to ensure integrity and honesty, without any temptation for personal gain or advantage.
“It is also the basic avenue for prosecution case and since it is the sacred duty of the IO, it should be performed without any recklessness, laziness or greed,” it said.
