Jabalpur, Jun 26 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed a police officer in Satna district of the state to plant at least 1,000 saplings in two months for his delay in serving the court notice to a rape victim.
A division bench comprising Justices Vivek Agarwal and A K Singh gave this direction to the station house officer (SHO) Ravendra Dwivedi of the City Kotwali Police Station in Satna on Tuesday.
It ordered him to plant at least 1,000 saplings between July 1 and August 31 at Chitrakoot in Satna district for delay in serving the court notice to the rape victim.
"The SHO shall bear the cost of this plantation on his own," it said.
SHO Dwivedi has tendered his apology before the court for not serving the victim in time, the bench said.
"He has promised not only to pay the cost of Rs 5,000 imposed on him by the Inspector General of Police, but also to plant at least 1,000 trees between July 1 and August 31, 2025..." the order read.
"Let fruiting trees like mango, jamun, mahua, guava, etc. be planted and their photographs be sent along with GPS location to the Registry (High Court) in support of the compliance report," it added.
The affidavit of the Superintendent of Police will also be filed along with the compliance, which will be filed after the inspection of 1,000 trees planted by the SHO, the bench said.
The trees shall be taken care of for a period of one year so that they are able to germinate and establish themselves, the HC stated in the order.
The court gave the directions during the hearing of a criminal appeal filed by a convict who challenged the special court's order of sentencing him to life imprisonment in the minor girl's rape case.
The court serves a notice through the police to the victims to put forth its side when the order is challenged, and the law enforcers have to comply with it.