Topic
Police harassment in India refers to unlawful or excessive actions by law enforcement, such as summoning relatives or intimidating individuals in civil disputes without legal basis or evidence.
Allahabad HC directs Lucknow Police Commissioner to initiate departmental inquiry against officers harassing a petitioner despite no FIR, reinforcing Article 21 protections. The ruling underscores accountability for extralegal police conduct and mandates safeguards against victimization.
Madras High Court rules that police must issue a formal notice under BNSS Section 35(3) before summoning parties in civil dispute investigations, prohibiting coercive or harassing inquiries. The judgment mandates compliance with procedural fairness, ensuring parties are not subjected to undue police pressure without proper legal intimation.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has ruled that summoning a person to a police station without a registered criminal case, solely to pressure them in a civil dispute, violates the proportionality and lawful investigation standards under BNSS 2023. This sets a critical boundary against procedural harassment, protecting citizens from coercive police tactics disguised as investigation.
Andhra Pradesh High Court rules that police interference in civil disputes, including pressuring parties to settle financial matters, is illegal and violates Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court issued a writ of mandamus directing police to refrain from such actions, reinforcing the boundary between civil and criminal jurisdiction.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court ruled that police cannot summon or harass family members of an accused in the absence of evidence, reinforcing due process under Article 226. The court permitted investigation only against named accused in an attempt to murder case, setting a precedent against arbitrary police action.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court ruled that police cannot harass or threaten relatives of an accused to disclose their whereabouts while executing a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW), as it violates constitutional rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21. The court directed police to refrain from such coercive actions, reinforcing the balance between judicial orders and fundamental rights.