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Search Results: Categories: Police Character Certificate - POC (1 found)
Syed Dawood Shah VS IGP etc
Citation: Pending
Case No: Writ Petition-1491-2025
Judgment Date: 02-May-25
Jurisdiction: Islamabad High Court
Judge: Justice Muhammad Azam Khan
186 PPC249-A CrPC337 PPC34 PPC427 PPCAcquittalArticle 14Article 15Article 199Article 4Article 9Constitutional LawCriminal LawPolice Character Certificate - POCPolice Record Certificates
Summary: (a) Constitution of Pakistan
----Arts. 4, 9, 14, 15 & 199
Fundamental rights—Right to dignity, reputation, and freedom of movement—Post-acquittal continuation of name in police records—Scope of relief—Petitioner, acquitted under S. 249-A Cr.P.C. from FIR No. 40/2022, sought deletion of his name from all police databases and issuance of a clear Police Character Certificate (PCC)—Held, once an acquittal attains finality, no stigma or adverse inference can lawfully persist against the acquitted person—However, police may retain internal historical records of FIRs for administrative, operational, or inter-agency purposes so long as such records are not misused—Constitutional jurisdiction under Art. 199 cannot be invoked merely to interfere with internal record-keeping unless misuse or targeted discrimination is shown—Relief for expunction of entire record declined.
(b) Police administration—Character certificate—Post-acquittal status
----Issuance of Police Character Certificate (PCC)—Obligation of police authorities—After acquittal based on complainant’s own clarification exonerating the accused, the police must issue a PCC omitting reference to the concerned FIR—Continued mention of an obsolete and unchallenged FIR in the PCC would unjustly stigmatize an exonerated citizen and offend the dignity guaranteed by Art. 14 of the Constitution—Direction issued to authorities to issue PCC within fifteen (15) days without reference to the FIR.
(c) Criminal Procedure Code (V of 1898)
----S. 249-A—Acquittal—Finality—Once an accused is acquitted under S. 249-A Cr.P.C., and the prosecution does not challenge the decision, the acquittal attains finality and fully exonerates the accused from criminal liability—No adverse record or inference can subsist thereafter.
(g) Disposition —
Petition partly allowed—Request for complete expunction of FIR from police database declined—Respondents directed to issue Police Character Certificate to the Petitioner omitting reference to FIR No. 40/2022 within fifteen days.