NEW DELHI: Flagging a “glaring and alarming concern” over the registration of FIRs on complaints received through emails by Punjab’s NRI Cell, the High Court has directed the state to frame and implement a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure a cautious, balanced and legally sound approach.
The directions were issued by Justice Alok Jain on a petition arising from an NRI-related dispute. At the outset, the court observed that the case exposed serious systemic issues involving FIR registration based solely on emailed complaints. It said the issue required institutional correction rather than ad hoc solutions. During the hearing, Punjab Additional Director-General of Police (NRI) RK Jaiswal appeared via videoconferencing and described the ground-level situation as “extremely bad”.
The ADGP said several women were allegedly deceived at the time of marriage and later subjected to harassment after migrating abroad. He added that such disputes were no longer confined to women complainants, with grievances increasingly being raised by men too.
Taking note of the submissions, Justice Jain stressed the need to verify allegations and determine at the threshold whether any offence had been committed within India’s territorial jurisdiction.