The Bombay High Court has expressed strong displeasure at the "highhandedness" of Mumbai police officials who allegedly illegally detained a music teacher for a day and subjected him to humiliation by stripping him naked in the lock-up. The teacher, along with his wife, appeared in court, and he submitted an affidavit detailing his ordeal, stating that he was wrongly accused of stalking his student, a claim he could substantiate with voice recordings.
A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police Akbar Pathan to retrieve CCTV footage from Tardeo Police Station and Saat Rasta lock-up. The court also sought the State's response to the fresh affidavits and warned of imposing costs and ordering compensation for the incident.
The High Court was deeply concerned about the police's actions and criticized their behavior. The teacher's lawyer narrated how he was stripped naked in the lock-up after being asked for his ID. The court raised questions about the police's adherence to procedures in bailable offences and highlighted the importance of considering national security concerns.
In his affidavit, the teacher explained that he was repeatedly called to the police stations and made to wait for long hours. He had evidence to support his innocence, including voice recordings of the complainant apologizing for false accusations, but instead, he was handed a notice under section 41A of the CrPC.
The court took note of the illegal detention and the unjustified actions by the police and directed the authorities to preserve the CCTV footage. The judges also expressed concern for those who could not afford to approach the High Court for redressal and emphasized the need for accountability and adherence to the law by the police.
The matter will be heard again after two weeks, and the Court's ruling sets an important precedent for protecting individuals' rights and ensuring transparency and accountability in police conduct. The case underscores the importance of safeguarding human dignity and upholding the rule of law in all law enforcement actions.
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