Registration of cases against police officers based on complaint lodged by the accused will set a bad precedent, argued senior counsels who appeared for the IPS officers who are facing charges of harassment, coercion, and issuing threats to Bollywood actress Kadambari Jethwani.
Former Vijayawada police commissioner Kanti Rana Tata, former DCP Vishal Gunni, ACP K Hanumanta Rao, and inspector M Satyanarayana moved the high court seeking anticipatory bail in the case registered against them following Jethwani’s complaint.
Arguing on their behalf, senior counsels VK Deshpande, S Sriram, and Manohar Reddy argued that once a case is pending before the court, a separate case against the investigating officers cannot be booked even if the officer commits any wrong. The issue has to be brought to the notice of the court and if proved, the court will initiate action against such officers, they argued.
They further told the court that the petitioners acted in accordance with the law in arresting the accused. They said she did not complain against the officials in Mumbai when she was produced before the magistrate for a transit warrant, or before the magistrate in Vijayawada when she was produced for remand. If this kind of case is entertained, every criminal after being arrested will come up with a complaint against the investigating officer alleging harassment and torture, they argued.
Finding fault with the complaint based on which the case was registered, the senior counsels pointed out that the prosecution suppressed the earlier complaint given by her, which is a violation. They further said that the police officers are being falsely framed in the case for political considerations. The hearing will continue on Thursday.
