HC against parading accused before media

PIL bench to issue order in this regard

Hyderabad: The two-judge PIL bench of the High Court at Hyderabad comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sen Gupta and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar on Monday voiced disapproval at the practice of police officers parading accused in criminal cases before the electronic media. The bench made clear that it would soon make an order to the said effect.

The bench was dealing with a case filed by AP Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) on the question of death of three persons in an ‘encounter’ in Warangal in December 2008 to CBI. The three victims were accused in a case wherein acid was thrown at a girl causing serious burns. The petitioner complained that the ‘encounter’ took place at the instance of the Superintendent of Police of Warangal. The court had appointed to senior counsels D Praksah Reddy and G Vidyasagar to assist the court in the matter. During course of arguments, the bench was told that the police paraded the victim before the media. The boys were killed in the evening of same day in a shootout which according to the petitioner was stage-managed, a fake encounter and that the police had failed to take action under the law as prescribed.

The bench expressed shock how the accused can be paraded before media. It said that it will pass orders in this regard. The bench expressed dismay when it saw the photographs wherein the then Superintendent of Police was seen sharing sweets with the locals rejoicing the killing and receiving flowers. The bench said that an officer in uniform cannot do such acts. The counsel for the SP however pointed out that it was not a voluntary act and that the women and girls barged into chambers and were congratulating him and he did not have any say in that matter. The bench adjourned the matter to the next week.