The Telangana High Court on Wednesday took a serious note of Karimnagar Two Town police station Inspector not issuing a First Information Report based on a woman’s complaint despite it issuing a direction to register a case.
Taking a strong exception to the police officer not registering the case even after the woman went to the police station the previous day, the HC summoned the Station House Officer to appear before it on Friday to explain his inaction. A Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti was hearing a writ petition filed by a woman stating that the police were not registering the case despite she specifically lodging a complaint of outraging modesty.
When the matter came up for hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the Bench that the petitioner went to Karimnagar two town police station the previous day. She was at the police station from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. but the staff there did not take her complaint despite informing them that the HC had issued a direction to issue FIR based on her complaint.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the police inaction, the CJ sought to know from the government counsel why the case was not registered despite the Bench issuing specific direction a couple of days ago. The government counsel replied that no complaint was made or received and hence the case was not registered. Visibly upset over the response from the government counsel, the CJ told the counsel he should have ensured issuance of the FIR since the Bench had already passed an order to do so.
Asking the petitioner’s counsel to file an affidavit stating that the woman had visited the police station and the staff did not receive her complaint, the Bench remarked the government counsel had no business to defend the police officer. Passing a direction to the SHO to appear before the Bench on Friday, the CJ said a warrant would be issued if the SHO did not turn up. Wondering why the SHO was not issuing the FIR despite specific instruction from the HC, the CJ asked if the police officer acting at the behest of the district judicial officer against whose son the woman lodged complaint.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the police refusal to register a case despite the woman going to the police station, the bench remarked that heads should be hung in shame when a woman was allegedly harassed and a case was not registered. When the Additional Advocate General Imran Khan turned up, the CJ said the legal officer concerned was unable to assist the court and because of his inability the police office would have to face the music.
