Delhi HC orders ₹50K compensation for illegally detaining man for half an hour

The Delhi High Court on Thursday awarded ₹50,000 compensation to a man who was illegally detailed by the Delhi Police for half an hour. JusticeSubramoniumPrasad directed that the compensation amount be recovered from salaries of two erring Sub-Inspectors of Badarpur Police Station who brought the man and placed him in the lockup.

“The time spent in the lock-up by the Petitioner, even for a short while, cannot absolve the police officers who have deprived the Petitioners of his liberty without following the due procedure established by law. A punishment of censure which is not likely to have any effect on the career of the police officers will not be a sufficient deterrent to the officer. The censure should be of such nature that other officers too must not emulate such actions in future,” the court said.

The court was dealing with the man’s plea seeking compensation for his illegal detention in the police lockup in September last year.A complaint was received vide DD entry at the police station stating that “lady ko sbzi wale ne chaku maar diya h.” The complaint was marked to a sub-inspector who reached the spot where he found one female and the petitioner.It was his case that he was put in the lock-up at 11:01 PM and was let out at 11:24 PM. He alleged that he was detained without any formal arrest or FIR or DD entry. Disposing of the matter, Justice Prasad observed that the authorities acted in a “high-handed manner” without respecting the the petitioner’s liberty and placed him in the lock-up without following due procedure of law or the principles laid down when an arrest is to be made.