New Delhi, May 17 (IANS): Showing displeasure over a police officer failing to answer queries during a hearing, the Delhi High Court has asked city Police Commissioner, Sanjay Arora, to take steps to ensure that officers responsible for investigation are present in court whenever a related case is taken up and not to send substitutes.

The court's order comes after a police officer present for the hearing of a petition for quashing of an FIR failed to answer the queries.

Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar said that it has become a "routine, invariable practice" that substitute officers not well-versed with facts appear in cases while the main officers remain absent.

"Let the matter be brought to the notice of the Commissioner of Police, who shall immediately take action and ensure that IOs (Investigating Officers) who investigated the case be present in court when the case pertaining to the particular police station is taken up for hearing.

"This has become routine invariable practice that the main Investigating Officers who have investigated the case are not appearing and substitute officials are appearing on their behalf and they are not versed with the facts of the cases," he said.