Police Can't Be 'Toothless Tiger' for Affluent Offenders; Apply Stringent Penal Laws for Road Hooliganism: Chhattisgarh High Court

Chhattisgarh High Court Slams Police for Being a 'Toothless Tiger' with Affluent Offenders

Court bars release of 18 cars seized after road stunts, demands stricter action beyond Motor Vehicles Act

BILASPUR: Taking a strong stance against perceived police leniency towards affluent law-breakers, the Chhattisgarh High Court on Friday criticized the state police for being a "toothless tiger" when dealing with offenders backed by money, muscle, or political power. Justice Prafull N Bharat, hearing a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL), ordered that 18 cars seized from youths performing dangerous stunts on a national highway shall not be released without the court's permission.

The court intervened after news reports detailed an incident where several youths, en route to a birthday party, performed dangerous stunts in their cars, hanging from windows and sunroofs on Masturi Road and creating a traffic jam on National Highway No. 49.

Background of the Case

The High Court had initiated a suo moto PIL on February 3, 2025, to address the growing "menace of hooliganism on the roads by muscleman and affluent people." Despite previous assurances and affidavits from the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP) about steps being taken to curb such incidents, the recent event prompted the court to take up the matter urgently.

The latest incident involved a group of youths driving rashly and negligently, endangering the lives of other commuters. Alert passersby recorded the stunts and reported the matter to the police, leading to the seizure of 18 cars and initiation of preventive action.

Court's Stern Observations

The court expressed deep dissatisfaction with the police's response, which it termed a mere "eye wash." The State Advocate General informed the court that offences were registered under the Motor Vehicles Act and recommendations were made to cancel the driving licenses of the car owners.

However, Justice Bharat questioned why more stringent laws were not being applied. In a powerful indictment of the perceived dual standards in law enforcement, the court observed:

"It appears that the wrath of the police only falls upon the poor, middle-class and the downtrodden but when the culprit is an affluent person either in terms of muscle, money or political backing, the police authorities become toothless tiger and such offenders are let go off by paying meager amount of money in terms of fine..."

The court further remarked on the inadequacy of the current police action:

"It is difficult to understand as to what restrains the police authorities to register offence under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 or under any other stringent laws against such offenders who endanger the life of other commuters... The action taken by the police against such hooligans should be such which may be a lesson for their life."

Directions and Final Order

To ensure that the incident is not treated lightly, the High Court issued a decisive order:

• Vehicle Release Stayed: The 18 cars seized by the Masturi Police are not to be released to their owners without explicit permission from the court.
• Affidavit from Chief Secretary: The Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh has been directed to file a personal affidavit by the next hearing, detailing what actions, beyond those under the Motor Vehicles Act, have been taken against the offenders.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 23, 2025, signaling its intent to closely monitor the state's response and ensure that accountability is enforced, regardless of the social or economic status of the offenders.