VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday, in some scathing remarks, observed that the Director General of Police ought to resign if he was in no position to rein in police officials and expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of the State police. A division bench, comprising Justice Rakesh Kumar, and Justice Uma Devi, made the remarks while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by one Sunkara Narayana Swamy from Edarapalli village in East Godavari district. He accused the Amalapuram police of illegally detaining P Venkataraju, his relative and a resident of Indupalli, and urged the bench to direct the police to present him in court.
The division bench recalled that DGP Gautam Sawang, when he appeared before the court previously, assured them that he will ensure no violation of law by the police force in the future. “What happened to the DGP’s assurance? It seems no steps were taken. Is the DGP not in a position to rein in police officials? If he is not capable of reining in his own force, he ought to resign,” the bench said.
It also opined that the government would land in trouble if the police do not mend their ways and suggested that the government pleader advise the government to ensure the police behave properly.Petitioner’s counsel Sashank Bhuvanagiri told the court that a police officer of Amalapuram Town police had summoned the petitioner’s father V Krishna to the police station on September 4. When Krishna went to the police station, he was told by Amalapuram inspector of police Sk Bajilal that a woman allegedly went away with the brother of Krishna and the woman’s husband lodged a complaint with the Visakhapatnam police. The inspector allegedly threatened Krishna to foist false cases against him and made him sign on blank papers, the advocate submitted.
Even as Krishna lodged a complaint with the SP on September 7, the Amalapuram police had illegally confined Narayana Swamy’s relative Venkataraju and shifted him to Vizag without showing formal arrest, he said. Government pleader Vivekanand told the court that a woman’s missing case was registered in Malkapuram police station of Visakhapatnam and Venkataraju was served notices under Section 160 of the CrPC and the latter had appeared before the Malkapuram police on September 7. He further said that Venkataraju was not under police custody and he was let off. The bench later posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.