Telangana HC summons Hyderabad city police commissioner for highhanded' action

A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court on Friday summoned the Hyderabad police commissioner in connection with an arrest that seemed to throw more questions than answers.

Amudhala Bindu Sri, filed a habeas corpus petition seeking that they produce her husband Ganesh Rajesh, who, she alleged, was illegally detained in Gopalapuram police station.

In the course of the hearing, it was stated that earlier in October, when police had illegally detained the petitioner’s husband, a habeas corpus plea was filed and the petitioner sought CCTV footage of the police station, and accordingly it was directed to produce the footage.

The SHO of Gopalapuram PS filed an affidavit stating that they did not have the footage as the cameras were not functioning in that week. Later the bench had directed the commissioner of police to file an affidavit explaining such failure to maintain CCTV despite directions of the apex court.

The petitioner stated that her husband was remanded to judicial custody in an alleged murder case, and was



released on bail on December 22, after which police officials again started to harass him. She contended that on January 3, officials from the task force dragged him and detained him illegally, for which a lunch motion was moved before the court on January 4 and was adjourned for the addl. government pleader to get instructions.

It has now been brought to the notice of the court that the task force received a complaint, after which officers went to inspect the premises, where the petitioner’s husband assaulted the officials for which SI of Taskforce lodged a complaint, and thereafter a case was lodged and he was remanded.

Counsel for the petitioner C.V. Srinath argued that such action is not only arbitrary but also unconstitutional and violates fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution. In view of the seeming high-handed action of police in targeting the detenu, the bench, comprising Justice K. Lakshman and P. Sree Sudha, asked the police commissioner to be present in court on January 11.