FAISALABAD, Feb 2: Working of the police department’s legal branch has been hampered by the absence DSPs (legal) have been lying vacant in 22 Punjab districts for the last many years.

According to the Police Rules, 1934, the legal-cum-prosecution branch is the backbone of the police department. It gives final touches to all criminal cases registered in police stations under PPC, CPC and other relevant laws so that these cases be submitted to competent courts for trial.

Importance of the legal branch can be judged from the fact that accused involved in serious criminal offences are set free by the courts mainly for lack of evidence and failure of the prosecution to prove the case. In all such cases, the weakness of the prosecution always lies with the legal branch which is required to monitor investigation round-the-clock.

Criminology experts said if the legal branch worked in accordance with the set rules of Police Act, CPRC and PPC, the implication of innocent people in false cases could also be discouraged.

Inquires however reveal that the legal branch is the most ill-equipped and disorganized which affects the prosecution process, giving benefit to the accused involved in criminal cases.

The DSP (legal), supposed to be the branch head, is responsible for giving final touches to challans of the cases according to provisions of relevant laws and perhaps brief of the cases trialable and punishable for the accused.

In almost all Punjab districts, the Legal branch is in complete mess. It is neither equipped with legal books nor any other relevant material. Besides, none of the branches has the required staff.

Now out of 34 districts, 22 posts of DSP (legal) have been lying vacant for the last five to 10 years as the Provincial Promotion Committee has failed to convene a meeting for considering the promotion cases and filling the vacant posts.

Police sources reveal that the provincial Home Secretary is the chairman of the Departmental Promotion Committee and cases are pending with it for years. However, dates are being fixed for considering the cases.

Apart from hampering the working of the Legal branch, a number of inspectors (legal) were retired during the period from 1995 till to date as their cases could not be decided or considered by the DPC. Those holding the charge of DSP (legal) are also not working with zeal due to frustration for non-appreciation of their services.