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1992 Supreme(AP) 404

Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : M.RANGA REDDY, V.BHASKARA RAO
Ega Venkaiah - Appellant
Versus
Government Of A.P. - Respondent
Decided On : 08-14-92

Headnote:

HABEAS CORPUS - WRONGFUL ARREST AND DETENTION - COMPENSATION - RIGHT TO LIFE AND LIBERTY - ARTICLE 21 AND 22 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA - POLICE OFFICERS LIABLE FOR ILLEGAL DETENTION AND BEATING OF DETENU - STATE LIABLE TO PAY COMPENSATION FOR THE ACTS OF ITS OFFICERS - CONTEMPT OF COURT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE SUB-INSPECTOR FOR REFUSING TO HAND OVER THE DETENU TO THE ADVOCATE-COMMISSIONER.

Fact of the Case:

The detenu was forcibly taken away from his house by the police officers during the early hours of 30-1-1992 and confined him in illegal custody. The detenu was kept in illegal custody in the III-Town Police-Station, Nellore, and the Sub-Inspector attached to the said Police Station refused to hand over custody of the detenu to the Advocate-Commissioner inspite of the fact that the warrant issued by the Court was shown to him, and thus interfered with the due course of judicial process. The detenu was beaten by the Sub-Inspector and another while he was in the illegal custody in the said police station resulting in number of injuries being statuted by the detenu as certified by the Doctor.

Finding of the Court:

The Court held that the police officers were liable for illegal detention and beating of the detenu. The State was liable to pay compensation for the acts of its officers. The Sub-Inspector was liable for contempt of court for refusing to hand over the detenu to the Advocate-Commissioner.

Issues: Whether the police officers were liable for illegal detention and beating of the detenu. Whether the State was liable to pay compensation for the acts of its officers. Whether the Sub-Inspector was liable for contempt of court for refusing to hand over the detenu to the Advocate-Commissioner.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that the police officers were liable for illegal detention and beating of the detenu because they had no authority to arrest and detain the detenu without a warrant. The State was liable to pay compensation for the acts of its officers because the police officers were acting in the course of their employment. The Sub-Inspector was liable for contempt of court for refusing to hand over the detenu to the Advocate-Commissioner because he was interfering with the due course of judicial process.

Final Decision: The Court directed the State to deposit a sum of Rs. 10,000.00 (rupees ten thousand only) towards compensation for the illegal detention of the detenu, with the Registrar (Judicial), High Court of A. P. , within one month from to-day. The amount, on being so deposited, shall be paid to the detenu (Srinivasulu ). The Court also directed the Registrar (Judicial), High Court of A. P. , to take appropriate steps by addressing a letter to the learned Advocate General to initiate contempt proceedings against the second respondent forthwith keeping in view the period of limitation.

Y. BHASKAR RAO, J.

( 1 ) THESE two writ petitions for issue of Habeas Corpus relate to one and the same detenu, W. P. 2225 of 1992 being a taken up case on receipt of a telegram dated 4-2-1992 while the other (W. P. 2216/92) is a regular writ petition filed by the father of the detenu-Srinivasulu.

( 2 ) THE events that preceded the filing of the writ petition as stated in the affidavit are : The reference to the parties hereunder is made as they are arrayed in W. P. No. 2216/92. On 11-8-1991 the marriage of one Allampati Sudhakara Reddy, a close friend of the present detenu and two others, namely (i) Raja and (ii) Pakam Sudhakar, took place at Jonnawada temple with one Parveen, daughter of the 3rd respondent (Sub-Inspector ). While so, hearing that the above three persons attended the marriage, the 3rd respondent along with the 4th respondent and other constables came to the house of the petitioner in the early hours of 30-1-1992 and took away the detenu by using criminal force in a van and from there went to the house of the other two, namely Raja and Pakam Sudhakar, and took them also in the same van, kept all of them in the Central Crime Station, Nellore, and the persuasions of the petitioner with R-3 to R-4 to release his son and the other two having proved futile, the petitioner moved the 2nd Addl. Judicial Ist Class Magistrate s Court, Nellore, on 5-2-1991 under S. 97 of the Criminal Procedure Code, resulting in the appointment of P. W. 2 an Advocate as Commissioner to search and have custody of the three persons for being produced before the Court the following day. By then the three persons were moved to the III-Town Police Station, Nellore. Therefore, P. W. 2 along with the petitioner (P. W. 1) and the Court Clerk (P. W. 4) went to the III-Town Police Station during evening hours of 5-2-1992 and showed the Sub-Inspector (R-2) the search warrant, proceeded to the lock-up room and found all the three in the lock-up and identified them there with the help of P. W. 1. When P. W. 2 asked for handing over custody of the three persons, including the present detenu, the Sub-Inspector (R-2) refused to do so and did not also endorse his refusal on the warrant when demanded by P. W. 2. P. W. 2 on the following day, viz. 6-2-1992, submitted his report (Ex. p-1) to the Court narrating the facts that took place. The Court again at the behest of the petitioner directed P. W. 2 to take aid of police force and have custody of the three persons. Accordingly, when P. W. 2 went to the police station at 8-00 p. m. on 7-2-1992 again, he could not find any one of the above three persons and on inquiry the Station Writer informed P. W. 2 the Advocate-Commissioner in the presence of P. W. 1 that the other two, namely Raja and Pakam Sudhakar, were produced before the Taluk Executive Magistrate in connection with security proceedings under S. 109, Cr. P. C. , and were also released on execution of bonds. Accordingly, P. W. 2 filed his report, Ex. P-2, before the Court on 7-2-1992. The petitioner in that background of the facts filed the writ petition for issue of Habeas Corpus on 13-2-92 in this Court.

( 3 ) THE 2nd respondent, Sub-Inspector of 3-Town Police Station, filed a counter denying allegations made against him. He states that one R. Setyanarayanna, Advocate, Nellore, was arrested by a Constable of his Station House in pursuance of a Non-Bailable Warrant issued by the Court in connection with a crime under S. 32 of the A. P. Police Act and since the 2nd respondent could not oblige P. W. 2, a close friend of the said Satyanarayana, in the matter of releasing him, P. W. 2 hurled threats and bore grudge resulting in the present implication. He, however, admitted that on 5-2-92, P. W. 2, another advocate representing the petitioner in the lower Court and P. W. 4 (Court Clerk) came to his police station, when P. W. 2 verbally informed him of the search warrant for the present detenu. The 2nd respondent, therefore, directed his sentry (R. W.



























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