JAMMU: Lal Singh, the leader of the Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP), filed a plea seeking the appointment of a warrant officer, but Special Judge CBI Bala Joyti denied it. The court noted, “According to the prosecution, there is no provision for appointment of Warrant Officer in any circumstances under the Act and the present application being completely illegal and bad in law be rejected,” after hearing arguments from Advocate Rajesh Kotwal for the applicant and APP Ashwani Khajuria for the Enforcement Directorate. At the bar, the investigating officer declared that Ch Lal Singh is fully conscious and stable and that there are no extraordinary or urgent circumstances that call for this court to exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction.Furthermore, Ch. Lal Singh, the accused, is being medically examined every 24 hours, is receiving appropriate medical supervision, and is fit to be in the Enforcement Directorate’s custody; as a result, the request to appoint him as a warrant officer is being denied. The opposing side countered by restating that Ch Lal Singh is not receiving the necessary medical attention while in ED custody and that a warrant officer may be assigned. After taking into account competing arguments, the Special Judge concluded that “this court has taken care of him by permitting medicines as prescribed by the doctors keeping in view of his health status and also allowed him to share his diet chart with ED authorities vide order dated 13.11.2023 in CMP No. 305, as such, prayer in this application being devoid of any legal force is declined”.
