High Court notes Delhi Police's 2020 Standing Order on Section 41A CrPC notices

The matter concerns the compliance of police departments in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh with Supreme Court directions regarding the procedure for issuing notices under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to prevent arbitrary arrests. The Court is reviewing compliance affidavits filed by the respondents and managing procedural applications related to costs and the appointment of an Amicus Curiae.

Who it concerns: Petitioners include Sandeep Kumar and others in multiple cases (COCP-598-2023, COCP-4146-2025, etc.). Respondents include Pankaj Nain, IPS, and other police officials from Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh. The bench is not explicitly named in the provided text, but the Court refers to itself as 'this Court' and notes the appointment of Mr. Ankur Mittal, Senior Advocate, as Amicus Curiae.

What the court decided

• Compliance affidavits of respondent Nos. 3 to 9 and 11 to 13 in COCP-4146-2025 are taken on record.
• Cost of Rs. 10,000 imposed on respondent No. 4 in COCP-598-2023 is waived off.
• Compliance affidavit of respondent No. 1 in COCP-598-2023 is taken on record.
• Compliance affidavits of respondent Nos. 2 and 3 in COCP-598-2023 are taken on record.
• Cost of Rs. 10,000 imposed on respondent No. 3 in COCP-598-2023 is waived off.
• Mr. Ankur Mittal, Senior Advocate, is appointed as Amicus Curiae to assist the Court in COCP No. 3350-2024 & COCP-3337-2026.
• State counsel is granted time to file compliance affidavits in COCP No. 3337-2026 and COCP-256-2026.

Also in the document

• The Court noted the detailed procedure for Section 41A CrPC notices laid down by the Delhi High Court in Amandeep Singh Johar vs. State of NCT of Delhi.
• The Court noted that the Delhi Police framed Standing Order No. 109 of 2020 to comply with these procedures.
• The Court observed that the Supreme Court took note of these procedures in Satender Kumar Antil vs. CBI.