HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has issued a notice to VC Sajjanar, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, in a contempt petition alleging wilful disobedience of the court’s order directing an inquiry into allegations of custodial harassment made by petitioner Md Shanawaz Alam.
Justice T Madhavi Devi issued the notice under Sections 10 to 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act and adjourned the case by four weeks, directing Sajjanar to file his response.
The contempt petition arose from an earlier order dated August 13, 2026, passed in a writ petition filed by Alam, who alleged that he was beaten and chilli powder was thrown into his eyes in police custody despite no criminal case being registered against him.
According to the petitioner, the alleged incident occurred on August 6, 2026. He subsequently submitted a representation to the assistant commissioner of police, Mirchowk division, and later sent a written complaint to the director general of police by registered post, alleging inaction against the police officials concerned.
During the writ proceedings, the government pleader for Home submitted that cross-complaints had been lodged against each other by Shanawaz Alam and Md Aslam Khan, who filed a case against the petitioner. It was further submitted that Crime No 110/2026 had been registered against the petitioner and that his complaint was under inquiry. The allegations of physical torture were denied.
The court had directed the Hyderabad police chief to examine the complaint, verify the CCTV footage of the police station concerned and, if the allegations were found to be true, take appropriate action against the erring officials.