Following a State Government’s decision, DGP KB Singh on Saturday directed all district Superintendents of Police to instruct the concerned police officers of their jurisdictions to withdraw all the criminal cases registered against the ineligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
At least 6,786 cases were registered in all the 30 districts for violation of the Odisha Public Distribution System (Control) Order of 2016. The DGP asked the SPs to close all these cases by September 25.
The SPs were also asked to see that no fresh cases are registered under the OPDS (Control) Order till this month-end unless approval of the competent authority is obtained in this regard. If any such cases are under investigation, final reports on them shall be made as “mistake of law” as per Rule 29(2) of the said order of 2016. If chargesheets in any such cases have been filed, the concerned IIC shall reopen the cases for further investigation under Section 173(8) CrPC and, thereafter, the cases shall be finally reported as “mistake of law”.
Further, if any written report is received at any police station for violation of the OPDS (Control) Order, the same shall not be treated as an FIR or any criminal case shall not be registered thereto. No NBWs shall be initiated against any offender; and in case any NBW is pending against any absconder in such cases, the warrants shall be immediately recalled on the initiative of the investigating police officer, the DGP said in a circular issued to the SPs, asking them to personally ensure that the directions are properly implemented.