Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police, Vijayendra S Bidari, appeared before the Madras High Court Bench here today in connection with a Habeas Corpus Petition (HCP) filed for producing a minor girl who was missing after the judges said they would issue warrants if he did not appear before the court.
Last week, the Bench comprising Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice P Devadass had ordered the SP to appear before them on a HCP filed by the mother of a 13-year-old girl, who charged that the police were not taking any action to trace her missing daughter.
Admitting the HCP, the Bench had directed Bidari to monitor the case and file status report. The SP stated in his status report, that he himself enquired into the case and following it up. However counsel for the petitioner submitted that petitioner was not enquired by the SP.
Not satisfied with the status report filed by the SP, the judges had directed the officer to appear before the court on Jan 30 and defend the case.
When the matter came up for hearing today, the SP did not appear in the morning as directed by the court. Irked over the non-appearance of the officer, the judges gave a deadline to him to appear before them within the end of the day. They said warrants would be issued if Bidari did not appear.
Bidari appeared before the judges in the afternoon, and assured them that all steps would be taken to trace the missing girl.
After recording the assurances, the Judges posted the case for further hearing on Feb 13.
Ramalakshmi, a coolie worker, had submitted that her daughter, a seventh standard student, has been missing since June 2011. Despite registering a case over the disappearance of the girl, however, police were not taking action over it, she had alleged.