SHO Channi Himmat Failed to Submit Report Despite Three Court Directions; SSP Asked to Seek Explanation
JAMMU, OCTOBER 1: The Court of the 1st Additional Sessions Judge, Jammu, has taken serious note of the repeated failure of the Station House Officer (SHO), Police Station Channi Himmat, to comply with directions to submit a police report in an anticipatory bail matter.
The court, presided over by Amarjeet Singh Langeh, has directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, to ensure that the SHO files the requisite report before the next date of hearing and has further asked the SSP to obtain an explanation from the officer for the continued non-compliance.
The directions were passed in an anticipatory bail application filed by Jalaj Choudhary, through Advocate Nitin Gupta, against the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir through the SHO/In-charge, Police Station Channi Himmat, Jammu.
According to the court order, the anticipatory bail application was received on August 22, 2026, when the SHO was directed to file a report and the matter was fixed for September 8.
However, the required report was not submitted on the scheduled date. The matter was thereafter adjourned to September 16, but the police report remained pending.
The court also noted that the predecessor court had earlier passed an order for framing a Robkar against the SHO of the concerned police station in connection with the failure to comply with the court’s directions.
Taking serious exception to the continued delay, the court observed that clear directions had been issued to the SHO “not once, not twice but thrice,” yet the required report had still not been filed.
The court questioned the impact of such non-compliance on the judicial process, observing: “If orders passed by the courts fall on deaf ears, how judicial process would then move ahead.”
The court further underscored that bail matters require expeditious consideration as they involve the liberty of an individual. It observed that despite the passage of time since August 22, 2026, and earlier expressions of concern, the police report had not been placed before the court.
In view of the continued non-compliance, the court directed SSP Jammu to ensure that the SHO, Police Station Channi Himmat, submits the report by the next date of hearing without fail.
The SSP has also been directed to obtain an explanation from the SHO regarding the failure to comply with the repeated judicial directions and place the explanation before the court along with the pending police report.
The matter has now been listed for October 7, 2026.
Meanwhile, the interim order dated August 22, 2026, has been directed to continue until further orders.(KNC)
