MADURAI: Observing that filing petitions against police officials without proof would demoralise them and affect investigation, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently imposed Rs 25,000 cost on president of Pappanam panchayat in Ramanathapuram district for filing a petition seeking action against Abiramam police inspector.
The panchayat president, Amutha, claimed the inspector ill-treated her when she went to the police station on March 2, 2022, in connection with a case lodged against her husband. Justice SM Subramaniam, however, said the inspector had taken necessary action on both the complaint and counter-complaint in the case.
The judge said that the petitioner, in her official capacity, cannot pick a quarrel with a public official unnecessarily. Even the allegations do not seem to be genuine as the petitioner moved court 13 days after the incident, the judge said.
Justice Subramaniam said, “There is a growing trend of filing writ petitions in HC against public officials, more specifically police officials, whenever a criminal case is registered against some persons. It is a new tactic by the litigants that in the event of registering a criminal case and arrest, they send a representation to higher officials claiming that they were ill-treated at the police station."
Though police officials, at times, do exercise power excessively, such charges should be substantiated by proof, and no action ought to be initiated against police officials in the absence of sufficient proof, the judge said.
Concluding that Amutha's statements do not seem to be trustworthy and that she was trying to threaten the officer for personal vengeance, the judge imposed Rs 25,000 cost on her and directed her to pay the amount to the Abiramam inspector within two weeks.
The judge also directed the inspector to use the amount for providing basic amenities to visitors at the police station.