The Bombay High Court has sought an explanation from a police officer in conncetion with a plea filed by a Mumbai-based lawyer, who claimed he was illegally detained for 35 minutes, while visiting the police station on behalf of his client.
Advocate Pradeep Gaikwad stated in his petition that he was representing his client, Narsamma Gudimella, in a matter pertaining to their rights as slum dwellers.
According to the petition, on March 2, 2021, an employee of a Developer’s company entered his client’s house and started using unlawful force with an intention to forcibly evict her. After the slum was completely demolished, despite a police complaint against the employee, Gudimella’s son rushed to Pant Nagar to register a complaint. However, the police refused to entertain him.
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When Gaikwad stepped in to speak with the police officer, the police officer took him into custody on the apprehension that Gaikwad was shooting the conversation on camera. Gaikwad’s colleagues then rushed to the police station to speak to the Senior Police Inspector, after which Gaikwad was released from detention.
The plea challenged the action of “pushing the petition in a detention cell” for 35 minutes when he had visited the police station on behalf of his client in capacity of his advocate. The petition stated that his detention was deliberate to discourage him and his client from pursuing the complaint against the accused.
Gaikwad sought for an enquiry and detailed report into his illegal detention on May 12, 2021 and directions to the police station to produce the CCTV footage of the police station. His apprehension was that the police could tamper with the CCTV footage. He also stated that if the actions of the police inspector are not looked into, that would lead to irreparable harm and damage.
The Bombay High Court on Friday summoned the police officer in charge of the Pant Nagar police station in Mumbai to answer the allegation of illegal detention of the Mumbai lawyer. The police officer has been asked to be present on August 11.
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Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/law/story/bombay-hc-seeks-explanation-police-officer-illegal-detention-of-advocate-for-35-mins-1837922-2021-08-07
