In a sharp rebuke of police overreach, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday took exception to the conduct of law enforcement authorities allegedly coercing a private party to settle a civil land dispute in contravention of judicial directions. Justice Tadakamalla Vinod Kumar issued oral directions to the Director General of Police (DGP) mandating the display of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) outlining the duties of police personnel at every police station and on the official website.
The matter arose from a writ petition filed by Pamu Sudharshanam, who alleged that officers of the Nagole Police Station, under the jurisdiction of the Rachakonda Commissionerate, compelled him to pay ₹55 lakh to certain real estate agents in connection with a dispute over his land located at Bandlaguda. The petitioner contended that despite the dispute being civil in nature, the police registered criminal cases to pressure him into a monetary settlement.
The petitioner accused the Nagole police of detaining him unlawfully and using the criminal justice process as a means to enforce a private settlement in a matter otherwise governed by civil law. He specifically alleged coercion in the form improper detention to force the execution of a financial agreement under duress.
During the hearing, Justice Tadakamalla Vinod Kumar expressed displeasure over the conduct of the police and remarked that civil disputes cannot be resolved through criminal intimidation or detention. The Court orally directed the DGP to ensure that “the SOPs on duties of cops are displayed at police stations and uploaded on the website for people's benefit.” Notably, the Court took cognisance of the presence of senior officers during the hearing, including the appearance of Rachakonda Police Commissioner G. Sudheer Babu through virtual mode and the Station House Officer of Nagole in person.
Upon a preliminary assessment, the Court found that there was a prima facie indication of the petitioner being detained at the Nagole Police Station with the intent of compelling a settlement. Accordingly, the Court directed the police to produce the CCTV footage of the relevant date to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
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