IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI W.P.(PIL) No. 7197 of 2025 Court on its Own Motion Versus

1. The State of Jharkhand through the Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi

2. The Home Secretary, Department of Home, Jail & Disaster Management, Project Bhawan, Dhurwa, Ranchi

3. The Director General of Police, Jharkhand, Dhurwa, Ranchi

4. The Superintendent of Police, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand

5. The Dy S.P., Seraikela-Kharsawan. …Respondents ---------

CORAM: HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH SHANKAR ---------

For the Petitioner/Victim :Mr. Ritesh Kumar Mahto, Advocate For the Respondents: Mr. Rajiv Ranjan, AG Mr. Piyush Chitresh, A.C. to A.G.

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Reserved on: 08.12.2025 Pronounced on: 11/ 12 /2025 Tarlok Singh Chauhan, C.J.

1. Heard the parties.

2. One Bhanumati Mahto, wife of Tarun Mahto addressed a letter to this Court leveling serious allegation of illegal arrest, torture and threat to implicate in a false case to her husband by the Officer-in-Charge, Ichagarh police station upon which cognizance was taken by this Court suo motu on 05.12.2025 and the following order came to be passed:

“02/Dated: 05.12.2025 We have gone through the letter bearing Diary No. 14324 dated

02.12.2025 received from one Smt. Bhanumati Mahto, wife of Sri. Tarun Mahto, resident of village Sridungri, P.O. & P.S. Adityapur, District Saraikella-Kharsawan alleging illegal arrest, torture and threat to implicate in false case of her husband, namely Tarun Mahto, by Ichagarh Police.

We deem it appropriate to treat this letter as a writ petition in the nature of Public Interest Litigation.

Let the same be registered by the Registry accordingly.

Notice to the respondents.

Mr. Piyush Chitresh, A.C. to A.G., waives service of notice for all the respondents and seeks time to get instructions and file counter affidavit. Let the Superintendent of Police, Seraikella Kharsawan appear before this Court on the next date of hearing along with the relevant records and also recordings of DVR of the CCTV Cameras installed at the concerned Police Station.

List on 8th December, 2025.”

3. In compliance to the aforesaid order, the Superintendent of Police Seraikella-Kharsawan is present with the record and incidentally the DGP Jharkhand is also present though in another case and accordingly while reserving the order relating to the aspect of the alleged arrest, torture and implication, the Court passed the following order:

“03/Dated: 08.12.2025

1. In compliance to the order dated 05.12.2025, the Superintendent of Police, Seraikella Kharsawan is present in person and states that since there is no CCTV Camera installed in the concerned police station, therefore, the recordings thereof could not be produced.

2. He has placed on record copy of office order no. 1692 of 2025 dated

05.12.2025 which goes to indicate that the Police Inspector one Mr.

Vikramaditya Pandey has been placed under suspension.

3. Heard.

4. Order reserved.

5. Incidentally, the DGP also happens to be present in Court in connection with another case, the Court has interacted with her and informed about the blatant violation of human rights in the State of Jharkhand given the fact that this is the second case which has come up before the Court within 48 hours. We hope and trust that the DGP would take all necessary and correctional steps in ensuring that there is no violation of human rights in the State and issue necessary instructions in this regard forthwith.”

4. The Superintendent of Police, Seraikella-Kharsawan has appeared and placed on record the status report which read as under:

“सरायकेला-खरसावाँ िजलादेश संূा- 1692/2025 आवेिदका मानुमित महतो, पित-तॺण महतो, ঁाम सीडीडूंगरी, पो(cid:720)-थाना-आिद(cid:529)पुर, िजला-सरायकेला-खरसायॵ का आवेदन पআ अधोह(cid:721)ा঴री के काया१लय म७ ঋा(cid:593) ॽआ। उঢ आवेदन पআ म७ विण१त त(cid:538)ों के आलोक म७ इस काया१लय का ৯ापांक-371/गो० िदनांक-23.11.2025 एवं ৯ापांक-5425/गो०. िदनांक-26.11.2025 (cid:554)ारा अनुमਔल पुिलस पदािधकारी, वा्ਔल को जाँच-पड़ताल करने हेतु िनद८िशत िकया