AIR 1966 SUPREME COURT 1766 ::1966 CurLJ 802 ::196 CurLJ 802 ::1967 MadLJ(Cri) 547 ::1966 68 Pun LR 229 (D) ::1967 2 SCJ 124 ::(1966) 2 SCWR 554 ::1966 SCD 1098

Supreme Court Of India

(From : Punjab)*

Hon'ble Judge(s): Ajit Kumar Sarkar, S. M. Sikri, R. S. Bachawat , JJJ

Police Act (5 of 1861) , S.12— Punjab Police Rules (1934) , R.23.4(3)(b), R.23.9(2)— Entry of name in history sheet and Police register No. 10 - Reasonable belief of police officer about a person being habitually addicted to crime, etc. is enough - Grounds for arriving at this belief need not be stated in the order. Punjab Police Rules (1934) , R.23.4(3)(b), R.23.9(2), R.23.10— For the efficient discharge of their duties the police officers are empowered by the Punjab Police Rules (1934) to open the history sheets of suspects and to enter their names in police register No. 10. These powers are required to be exercised with caution and in strict conformity with the rules. The condition precedent to the opening of history sheets under R. 23.9 (2) is that the suspect is a person "reasonably believed to be habitually addicted to the crime or to be an aider or abettor of such person''. Similarly, the condition precedent under R. 23.4 (3) (b) for the entry of the names of the suspects in part II of the police register No. 10, is that they are "persons who are reasonably believed to be habitual offenders or receivers of stolen property, whether they have been convicted or not''. In order to justify his action, the belief of the police officer must be a reasonable belief, i.e. it must be based on reasonable grounds. The police officer is not, however,....