New Delhi, May 28 (IANS): The Delhi High Court, while dealing with a complaint pending before the police since 2014, has asked how an ordinary citizen can be blamed for the wilful inaction of the police. The court was dealing with a plea filed by a policeman seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him in a civil dispute with the complainant -- a Delhi resident.

"How can an ordinary citizen of this country be blamed for the wilful inaction of the police? Can his right to legal remedy be so defeated? Every citizen of this country is entitled to the protection of law," remarked Justice Asha Menon on Friday.

As per the complainant, in 2007 the petitioners (including the policeman) had befriended him on a business proposition of opening a security agency in partnership with them, and they had got him to sign blank papers when he was intoxicated. Later, he discovered that the original title deeds of property in his wife's name had gone missing. But no action was taken by the police.

"It appears that because the petitioner is himself a policeman, he has succeeded in stalling the investigations and preventing prosecution. Now he seeks to benefit from such wanton interference with the course of justice. That cannot be permitted," the court said.

Despite the complaint of the man in 2014, nothing happened and he had moved the court. Later, a vague report was filed by the police. No charge-sheet has been filed to date even after the lapse of 8 years, the court noted.

Accordingly, the court dismissed the petition imposing a Rs 10,000 fine to be deposited with the 'Delhi High Court Staff Welfare Fund'.

The court also directed the Investigating Officer to file a final report in the FIR within three months.