Delhi Police launches web, mobile application to lodge e-reports of missing persons

Pursuant to an order passed by the Delhi High Court in a case pertaining to a missing person, the Delhi Police has launched a web and mobile application to lodge online reports of missing persons including children on September 13, 2019..A statement to this effect was made by the Delhi Police in a status report submitted before a Division Bench of Justices Manmohan and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal..As per the status report, the general public can now lodge a missing person report either through the web app or by downloading the mobile App available within the Citizen Services Link on the website of Delhi Police i.e, www.delhipolice.nic.in..Developed by M/s Tech Mahindra, the mobile app is currently available for android version and would soon be available for Apple phones within six weeks from September 18, it was added..The status report was filed in a suo motu writ petition concerning the kidnapping of a person in August 2018. The same was taken up by the High Court after the wife of the missing person wrote a letter to the High Court alleging that her husband was kidnapped by one Matru and his associates on August 4, 2018..On October 10, 2018, the PIL Committee had called for a report from the DCP, South District in the matter. On the first day of the hearing in the matter, the Court had observed that an FIR in the matter was registered only on December 28, 2018..It had further recorded that although different departments of the Delhi Police – right up to the office of the Commissioner of Police – received representations by the wife regarding her missing husband, there was a delay in registration of the FIR. The representations had even mentioned the names of persons against whom she had some suspicion, it further said..After perusing the reports filed in the matter, the Court had subsequently recorded that no effective measures were taken by the police to trace the missing person, except for conducting some cursory investigation. It was only after the present petition was registered by the Court suo motu that the police got activated, it concluded..The Court had proceeded to direct the Delhi Police to consider registration of FIRs with regard to missing persons online by way of SMS, e-mails, and WhatsApp..Subsequently, a roadmap for the application was submitted by the Delhi Police..As per the road map, after the submission of the missing person report, the computer application system would generate a PDF report and forward it to the stakeholders such as the local police station or control room, for the initiation of the police response mechanism..An FIR shall be lodged immediately for children & juveniles up to 18 years and in case of adults, an FIR shall be lodged if there are specific allegations or suspicion or any foul play. The Road Map also stated that the Complainant would receive alerts on his/her mobile about the progress of the case from time to time. The Assistant Commissioner of Police and the Station House Officer would be able to monitor the progress of the pending complaints and cases through their respective Dashboards in the application..In the end, the Court recorded its appreciation for the alacrity with which the Delhi Police introduced the mobile and web app for missing persons and disposed of the petition..Delhi Police was represented by Standing Counsel Rahul Mehra with Advocates Chaitanya Gosain..Read the Order: