Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 28

Officers of the Central armed police forces (CAPFs) will be held personally liable for fines imposed by courts if personnel are forced to seek legal recourse in service matters where the law has already been settled by way of earlier judgments.This follows directions of the Delhi High Court in the case of several personnel from different CAPFs seeking the benefits of Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme based upon an earlier judgment.Directing all formations to finalise legal notices claiming ACP within eight weeks from the date of receipt, a memorandum issued by the Directorate General Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Force cautions that failing this, the high court may impose heavy costs, for which the officials concerned will be held responsible.“It is deemed appropriate to direct that henceforth, if any of the forces receives a notice from the force personnel claiming benefits of the ACP scheme, if he is found eligible, necessary steps shall be taken by respondents to sanction the said benefits,” a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court ruled.“If no relief is granted to eligible force personnel and he is compelled to approach the court for relief, a serious view shall be taken in the matter and in that eventuality, the court will be inclined to impose heavy costs on the respondents,” the Bench added.The Court was informed that personnel from the ITBP, SSB, CRPF and the SSB had filed similar petitions seeking the same relief.“Every other day, we come across matters of similar nature that clearly demonstrates that only when a member of the force is compelled to file a petition for relief, do the respondents wake up to take action. It appears that none of the forces mentioned above have taken any initiative to grant relief to their personnel whose cases are covered by the decision in the case of Jaipal Singh (supra), followed by several other decisions on the same line,” the Bench had observed earlier.“Given the above persistent and unabated recalcitrance, we deem it appropriate to issue notices to show cause to the Director Generals of the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSF and the CISF calling upon them to file their respective affidavits explaining inter alia as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for failing to act on their own by granting the benefits…” the Bench had said while asking them to details the steps taken by them from September 2013 onwards to extend the benefits to the personnel concerned.