The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with its directions to initiate and conclude a departmental inquiry against a police officer who had failed to complete investigation in an FIR registered in 2016.

Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice on the contempt petition filed against Anurag Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police and Rakesh Kumar Sharma, ACP, Kalkaji, alleging wilful disobedience of the High Court's orders dated February 14 and February 24, 2025.

Inspector Ashish Kumar, against whom the departmental inquiry was to be conducted, has been arrayed as a proforma respondent.

The respondents' counsel accepted notice and submitted that the FIR in question had already been quashed by the High Court on August 10.

However, the Court noted that directions for departmental inquiry had already been passed on February 14 and February 24, 2025, and directed the respondents to file an affidavit within four weeks.

The matter has been listed for February 3, 2027.

The contempt plea arises out of an FIR registered on January 16, 2016 under Section 509 of IPC at Police Station Amar Colony. The petitioner approached the High Court in 2024, complaining that the investigation had remained pending for years.

On February 14, 2025, the High Court, while hearing the petition, noted that the investigating officer had neither filed a status report despite having accepted notice nor concluded the investigation.

The Court had expressed concern over the IO's conduct and directed the concerned ACP to file a status report and set up an inquiry into the conduct of the main IO, including the reasons for non-completion of the investigation.

On February 21, 2025, the ACP's status report allegedly recorded negligence and carelessness on the part of Inspector Ashish Kumar and stated that a misconduct report had been sent to the senior officer for departmental action.

When the matter came up on February 24, 2025, the Additional Standing Counsel informed the Court that departmental action had been initiated against the IO and that its final outcome would be placed on record.

The Court was also told that a status report regarding the inquiry would be filed.

According to the contempt petition however, no such status report was filed on the subsequent hearing dates—April 24, July 17 and October 27, 2025, February 17 and July 15.

Meanwhile, a chargesheet was filed before the Saket Courts in May 2025, along with an application seeking condonation of a nine-year delay.

The JMFC subsequently declined to take cognizance and requested the DCP concerned to initiate action against Inspector Ashish Kumar in accordance with law.

The petitioner further alleged that neither the High Court's directions nor the JMFC's direction were complied with.

Appearance: Mr. Ujwal Ghai, Advocate for Petitioner; Mr. Jaswinder Singh, Advocate for Respondents

Case title: Mohinder Singh v. Sh. Anurag Kumar, Commissioner Of Police, Delhi Police & Ors.

Case no.: CONT.CAS(C) 1649/2026

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