Ludhiana, March 22 -- A 16-year-old criminal case from Ludhiana has come under fresh judicial scrutiny, with both a trial court and the Punjab and Haryana high court flagging serious lapses in the police investigation and seeking accountability at the highest level. The high court has now directed the Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav to file a status report, putting the spotlight back on a case that has seen little progress despite repeated court directions.

The case relates to an FIR registered in 2010 on the complaint of Dr Sumeet Sofat, involving charges of attempt to murder, abduction and robbery. Despite the gravity of the allegations, the police filed a cancellation report, which has now been questioned by court...