HC seeks state’s reply to plea seeking action against Rashmi Shukla, others

The Bombay high court on Monday directed the state government to respond in four weeks to a petition filed by a police constable seeking action against his superiors for not following the due procedure while registering cases

The Bombay high court on Monday directed the state government to respond in four weeks to a petition filed by a police constable seeking action against his superiors for not following the due procedure while registering cases. He also urged the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against former Pune police commissioner Rashmi Shukla for her failure to take cognisance of his complaints against the errant officers.

HT Image

The petitioner, Dilip Jadhav, also sought compensation of ₹10 lakh for the agony he suffered during his suspension, but the court asked him to file a separate plea before the police tribunal.

A division bench of justice Prasanna Varale and justice Nitin Borkar was informed by advocates Animesh Jadhav and Shreekrishna More that Jadhav had been doing general duty in Pune’s Hadaspur police station since 2014. He listed the incidents when he was asked to register a non-cognisable complaint in a rape case and to arrest a man without a cognisable offence.

The advocates said when Jadhav objected to the non-adherence of legal requirements, his superiors abused him. When he escalated the issue with the higher-ups, including Shukla, no action was taken. In 2015, he was suspended and was also given a warning that disciplinary action would be initiated against him if he continued to raise the matter.

The bench asked the state to respond on behalf of Shukla and other police officers within four weeks and adjourned the hearing to November.