Criminal Writ Petition No.1674 of 1996 -1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Writ Petition No.1674 of 1996 Date of Decision : 14th September, 2011 Harkanwaljit Singh .... Petitioner Versus State of Punjab & others .... Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE L. N. MITTAL. Present: None for the petitioner. Mr. Ranvir Singh Rawat, AAG, Punjab. * * * * L.N.MITTAL, J. (ORAL) Harkanwaljit Singh petitioner has filed this habeas corpus writ petition under Section 226 o the Constitution of India alleging inter alia that petitioner's father Surjit Singh was taken away by police party comprising 15-20 police officials headed by Surinder Paul Singh- respondent No.5, SHO, Police Station Jhabal, District Amritsar on the night intervening 01/02.07.1993 and since then, his whereabouts were not known. Respondents have stated that petitioner's father is not in their custody. In reply on behalf of respondents, it has inter alia been stated that FIR No.186 dated 19.10.1997 under Section 364 IPC has been registered in Police Station City Tarn Taran on the statement of the petitioner's grand father Inder Singh i.e. father of the alleged detenue. In the said FIR, Inder Singh stated that the occurrence took place on the night intervening 01/02.02.1993 whereas in the present petition, the Criminal Writ Petition No.1674 of 1996 -2- petitioner has alleged that occurrence took place on the night intervening 01/02.07.1993. Averments made in the writ petition have been broadly denied. None is appearing for the petitioner inspite of pass-over. It is second last opportunity with stipulation that no further adjournment shall be granted. I have heard learned State counsel for respondent and perused the case file. Learned State counsel states that untraced report was submitted in the aforesaid FIR No.186 dated 19.10.1997 and the same has been accepted by the concerned Court. The alleged occurrence took place more than 18 years ago. Even the instant writ petition was filed in November, 1996 i.e. more than three years after the alleged detenue went missing. FIR was lodged on 19.10.1997 i.e. more than four years after the alleged occurrence. Now after lapse of more than 18 years, no useful purpose would be served by ordering any fresh investigation by any independent agency or by Central Bureau of Investigation as prayed for in the writ petition. In view of the aforesaid, the instant writ petition is disposed of. ( L. N. MITTAL ) JUDGE 14th September, 2011 'raj'