MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has imposed penalty of Rs 10,000 on Kanniyakumari police for failing to take action on a dowry harassment complaint made by a woman at the Nagercoil All Women Police Station, despite orders passed by the magistrate court and the high court. The judge further directed the SP to transfer the case from the AWPS to some other sincere investigation officer.
Justice B Pugalendhi passed the order while allowing a contempt petition filed by J Udhaya Santhiya. She had lodged a dowry harassment complaint against her husband and in-laws with Nagercoil All Women Police in February 2023. Since there was no action, she moved the district Munsif cum Judicial Magistrate court in Boothapandi, and the court directed police to inquire into the complaint and register a case.
In spite of the order, police did not hold inquiry following which Santhiya moved the HC. In February last year, the court directed police to comply with the magistrate’s order. Even then, the police did not register a case, forcing Santhiya to file a contempt petition.
During the hearing of the petition recently, additional public prosecutor said an FIR had been registered on Santhiya’s complaint on July 3, 2025. However, the petitioner’s counsel said the FIR had been registered after they filed the contempt petition. Perusing the FIR, Pugalendhi noted that while the date of occurrence is mentioned as May 27, 2022, the date on which information was received at the police station was mentioned as July 3, 2025.
Further, judge observed that though the complaint was lodged in February 2023, police have shown the date as July 3, 2025 to suppress their mistake and show as if the complaint was registered immediately after receiving information.
Criticising the police action, Pugalendhi imposed cost of Rs 10,000, which has to be paid by the Kanniyakumari SP from the Special Reserve Fund. It could be recovered later from the police inspector who failed to take action on Santhiya’s complaint.