High Court Seeks Status Report in Harassment Case
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the State of Punjab to file a status report regarding a petition filed by the elderly parents of Shaganpreet Singh, the former manager of slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. The petitioners allege continuous harassment, repeated implication in criminal cases, and misuse of police powers despite publicly disowning their son in 2021 and severing all ties with him.
Justice Aaradhna Sawhney, presiding over the matter, fixed July 24 as the next date of hearing and issued notice of motion to the State of Punjab, the State Director-General of Police, the Additional Director-General of Police (Vigilance), and the Khanna Senior Superintendent of Police.
Petitioners Allege Pattern of Repeated FIRs
Petitioner Daljit Kaur, aged 74, contended that she and her husband, both senior citizens, have been repeatedly implicated in successive First Information Reports (FIRs) and subjected to coercive police action solely due to their relationship with their estranged son. According to the petition, Shaganpreet Singh is alleged to be involved in certain criminal cases and has reportedly been declared a proclaimed offender in some matters.
The plea emphasizes that criminal liability is personal in nature and cannot be attributed to family members merely because of a blood relationship. The petitioners argue that local police authorities have adopted a pattern of implicating them in successive criminal cases, with each bail being followed by a fresh FIR without any fair, impartial, or independent inquiry into their alleged role.
Allegations of Illegal Detention and Extortion
The petition details allegations of illegal detention, custodial harassment, unlawful entry into the petitioner's residence, removal of CCTV DVR systems, disappearance of valuables, and physical and mental harassment. It further alleges that certain police officials demanded illegal gratification of Rs 20 lakh and threatened that the petitioners and their family would continue to be implicated in criminal cases if the payment was not made.
The petitioners assert that the criminal process is being utilized as a means to exert pressure on the family and to secure information regarding the whereabouts of Shaganpreet Singh. Such an approach, they argue, is wholly contrary to the settled principles of criminal jurisprudence.
Abuse of Police Powers and Fundamental Rights
The repeated implication of elderly parents in successive FIRs, coupled with the failure to conduct meaningful inquiry or take action on their complaints, demonstrates a mala fide exercise of police power and abuse of the criminal justice process, according to the petition. The continued harassment of the petitioners on this basis amounts to an abuse of police powers and an infringement of their fundamental rights.
Among other things, the petitioners seek a direction to the respondents to ensure a fair and independent inquiry by a senior police official to verify the veracity of the allegations and ascertain their actual role and involvement before they are made accused in any future FIR arising out of similar allegations or complaints.
Petitioners Seek Protection and Independent Inquiry
The petitioners submitted that they are willing to cooperate fully with any inquiry and investigation. However, to prevent abuse of the criminal process and safeguard their fundamental rights, no coercive action should be taken against them without first conducting a thorough inquiry, recording tangible reasons, and thereafter proceeding strictly in accordance with law.
The petition also seeks directions for an independent and impartial inquiry, protection against further harassment and arbitrary implication, preservation of relevant electronic and documentary evidence, and safeguards to ensure that any future action is taken strictly in accordance with law. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on July 24, by which time the State has been directed to place its status report before the court.
