By way of background, in 2011, several Punjab policemen faced charges under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly enabling the sale of arms and ammunition to Naxalites.
As the investigation unfolded, Section 16 of the UAPA and PMLA charges were subsequently included in the case.
The first information report (FIR) alleged that the policemen in connivance with others sold arms and ammunition to Naxalites.
Thereafter, the Punjab police initiated both departmental and criminal proceedings against the accused policemen, leading to their dismissal from service.
The case, however, ultimately ended in the acquittal of the accused police officers in 2019.
Despite this, only some of the acquitted police officers (who were earlier terminated from service) were reinstated back to service.
The remaining accused police officers were not taken back.
Two such officers, who had not been reinstated to service, approached the High Court for relief by filing two writ petitions.
Source: Barandbench
