Hindustan Times: Chandigarh: Tuesday, 26 May 2026.
The matter had surfaced in 2023 during the hearing of an RTI appeal filed by Ferozepur resident Geetika against the office of the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana.
Nearly seven months after
directing an inquiry into the issuance of Police Clearance Certificate to two
passport applicants in 2021 despite a domestic violence case against them, the
Punjab State Information Commission has sought a fresh status report from
Punjab Police on departmental proceedings initiated against the three cops
found guilty of lapses in the verification process.
A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), provided after police verification, serves as an official confirmation of an applicant’s clear criminal record.
The matter had surfaced in 2023 during the hearing of an RTI appeal filed by Ferozepur resident Geetika against the office of the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana.
The appellant had sought information regarding the issuance of a PCC to Sahil Malhotra and Mamta Rani, who allegedly travelled to Canada on a study visa in 2021 despite facing a criminal case under Sections 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 406 (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at the time.
Taking serious note of the allegations, the commission, through orders issued on August 13 and October 29, 2025, had directed Punjab Police to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Following the commission’s directions, the office of the Punjab director general of police (DGP) recommended the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Subsequently, the Ludhiana commissioner of police constituted a three-member SIT on December 16, 2025, comprising the DCP Headquarters, ADCP Headquarters and an ACP-rank officer.
According to records placed before the commission thereon, the SIT found three police personnel ASI Davinder Singh, ASI Harpreet Singh and ASI Tarsem Singh guilty of lapses in the passport verification process.
Based on the SIT findings, the commissioner of police on April 8, 2026, ordered a departmental inquiry against the three officials under Rule 16.24 of the Punjab Police Rules. The inquiry was assigned to Dev Singh, ADCP Zone-3, Ludhiana.
But with no status update for the past seven months, the commission has now directed Punjab Police to submit the latest report on the departmental proceedings initiated against the cops.
Observing that transparency and accountability are among the core objectives of the RTI Act, the commission stressed that public authorities must ensure strict adherence to legal procedures and initiate appropriate action wherever negligence or misconduct is detected.
Case triggered tightened passport verification process
This very case had prompted Punjab Police to tighten passport verification procedures across the state by issuing a fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at ensuring greater transparency and scrutiny in the issuance of PCCs.
Under the SOP issued on May 16, 2025, passport verification officers were instructed to conduct physical verification of applicants at their residences in the presence of at least two permanent local witnesses. Officials have also been directed to click photographs of both applicants and witnesses during verification and obtain their digital signatures.
The SOP further mandates verification of identity, address and date-of-birth documents and makes scrutiny of criminal antecedents compulsory through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems and the Interoperable Criminal Justice System.
Additionally, station house officers have been directed to submit reports on passport verification forms within 24 hours of receiving verification inputs from the officials concerned.
The matter had surfaced in 2023 during the hearing of an RTI appeal filed by Ferozepur resident Geetika against the office of the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana.
 |
The Ludhiana commissioner
of police constituted a three-member SIT on December 16, 2025, comprising the
DCP Headquarters, ADCP Headquarters and an ACP-rank officer. |
A Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), provided after police verification, serves as an official confirmation of an applicant’s clear criminal record.
The matter had surfaced in 2023 during the hearing of an RTI appeal filed by Ferozepur resident Geetika against the office of the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana.
The appellant had sought information regarding the issuance of a PCC to Sahil Malhotra and Mamta Rani, who allegedly travelled to Canada on a study visa in 2021 despite facing a criminal case under Sections 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 406 (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at the time.
Taking serious note of the allegations, the commission, through orders issued on August 13 and October 29, 2025, had directed Punjab Police to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Following the commission’s directions, the office of the Punjab director general of police (DGP) recommended the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Subsequently, the Ludhiana commissioner of police constituted a three-member SIT on December 16, 2025, comprising the DCP Headquarters, ADCP Headquarters and an ACP-rank officer.
According to records placed before the commission thereon, the SIT found three police personnel ASI Davinder Singh, ASI Harpreet Singh and ASI Tarsem Singh guilty of lapses in the passport verification process.
Based on the SIT findings, the commissioner of police on April 8, 2026, ordered a departmental inquiry against the three officials under Rule 16.24 of the Punjab Police Rules. The inquiry was assigned to Dev Singh, ADCP Zone-3, Ludhiana.
But with no status update for the past seven months, the commission has now directed Punjab Police to submit the latest report on the departmental proceedings initiated against the cops.
Observing that transparency and accountability are among the core objectives of the RTI Act, the commission stressed that public authorities must ensure strict adherence to legal procedures and initiate appropriate action wherever negligence or misconduct is detected.
Case triggered tightened passport verification process
This very case had prompted Punjab Police to tighten passport verification procedures across the state by issuing a fresh Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at ensuring greater transparency and scrutiny in the issuance of PCCs.
Under the SOP issued on May 16, 2025, passport verification officers were instructed to conduct physical verification of applicants at their residences in the presence of at least two permanent local witnesses. Officials have also been directed to click photographs of both applicants and witnesses during verification and obtain their digital signatures.
The SOP further mandates verification of identity, address and date-of-birth documents and makes scrutiny of criminal antecedents compulsory through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems and the Interoperable Criminal Justice System.
Additionally, station house officers have been directed to submit reports on passport verification forms within 24 hours of receiving verification inputs from the officials concerned.
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