KOCHI: Taking into consideration cases of criminals impersonating police, customs, and CBI officers to carry out illicit activity, including defrauding people, the Kerala High Court has ruled that police personnel on ‘mufti’ duty must carry with them their identity cards and a copy of the order authorising them to perform their duties in civilian attire.
Justice P V Kunhikrishnan observed that even the name boards of judges on vehicles are misused by criminals to commit offences. The police department should understand that the general public is aware of these types of criminal activity carried out by misusing official uniforms.
They may question the people in civvies who claim to be police officers. Therefore, if, in any special situation, mufti policing is necessary, a specific order to that effect must be passed, the judge said.
The court held that mufti police should introduce themselves and produce their identity cards before intercepting or questioning suspects. Without the same, if the public questions mufti police, nobody can blame them. Mufti police may be more vulnerable to physical harm or attack, as they are not easily recognisable.
Kerala has a high literacy rate and most of the people are sensitive. Therefore, officers should be vigilant while doing mufti duty to protect themselves as well.
The order was issued while granting bail to Shibin Shiyad, of Kottayam, an accused in a case for wrongfully restraining and deterring public servants from discharging their official duty. The petitioner argued that policemen were in mufti and they did not show their identity cards to the accused.
The prosecutor argued that mufti policing is necessary in certain situations.
The court said there is nothing to show that the Kottayam district police chief specifically ordered discharge of the duty in civvies. It also made clear that all policemen on beat or patrol duty should perform their duty in uniform unless, for special and limited purposes, mufti patrols are specifically ordered.