Meerut judge seeks arrest of Lucknow SP for failing to appear in dowry death case

Meerut: Tabrez Ahmed, additional sessions judge here in Meerut has served notice to Uttar Pradesh principal secretary (home) asking the latter to ensure arrest of superintendent of police (administration) Ram Krishna Bhardwaj, currently posted in Lucknow, and produce him in Meerut court on September 19.
ADJ Ahmed, in his letter, said that Bhardwaj, then posted as circle officer in Meerut was the investigating officer in a case of dowry death lodged at Lisari Gate police station here.
Despite repeated reminders, Bhardwaj failed to turn up in court with evidence and record his statement in the 2008 case, the ADJ said in his letter to PS Arvind Kumar. “Earlier, a non-bailable warrant was issued against Bhardwaj and sent to UP DGP but the former failed to appear in court. I am attaching a copy of the NBW with the letter with a view that you (PS home) will ensure arrest of Bhardwaj and will produce him in court on September 19,” Ahmed said in his letter, a copy of which is with TOI.
In his defence, Bhardwaj who dubbed the exercise as “routine” later claimed that there was an indefinite strike in the city following which case was deferred for a different date. “The case was deferred for next hearing on several occasions. Later I was posted out of the city and failed to turn up in the court. I will be appearing and producing evidence in court tomorrow,” Bhardwaj said on Tuesday.
Bhardwaj is a senior IPS officer who has served as senior superintendent of police in Bareilly and Varanasi before he was shunted out and posed as SP (administration) in Lucknow.