Supreme Court Orders SIT for Fair Investigation in Punjab Woman’s Murder Case

Court Criticizes Shoddy Investigation by Punjab Police

The Supreme Court of India has strongly criticized the Punjab police for its inadequate investigation into the murder of a woman. The Court found that the investigation was neither impartial nor thorough and failed to bring the case to a logical conclusion.

Special Investigation Team (SIT) to Be Constituted

In response to the police’s shortcomings, the Court ordered the Director General of Police of Punjab to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) within one week. The team will consist of two Punjab cadre IPS officers without ties to the state, and one female officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) or higher.

Unnatural Death Confirmed, But Investigation Stalled

The victim's death was determined to be an unnatural death based on a postmortem report. Despite this, the investigation stagnated, initially suspecting a neighbor of involvement due to an alleged extramarital affair. The investigation was later transferred to the Crime Branch, which eventually cleared the victim’s husband, who was arrested and later granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Petitioner Challenges Bail Grant and Investigation Handling

The victim’s father, the petitioner, challenged the grant of bail and criticized the handling of the investigation. The Court had earlier issued a limited notice in 2021 to determine the status of the investigation. Despite this, no status report was filed, prompting the Supreme Court to step in and demand an efficient investigation.

Court Expresses Frustration with State’s Failure

Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh expressed frustration at the State of Punjab's failure to produce a status report, questioning why the investigation had stalled for years despite clear indications of murder.

Court Does Not Interfere with Bail Decision

While the Supreme Court did not overturn the High Court's bail decision, it strongly criticized the state police for its handling of the case, ordering the formation of an SIT to ensure a fair investigation going forward.

Case Title: DEEPAK GUPTA Versus THE STATE OF PUNJAB AND ANR.,