Allahabad HC says Uttar Pradesh police officers ‘pressuring’ judges for ‘specific orders’

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Friday said that senior UP police officers have been ‘pressuring’ the judges, especially the chief judicial magistrates to pronounce ‘specific orders’.

The observation was made by Justice Arun Kumar Deshwal before state police chief Rajeev Krishna and state additional chief secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad during a hearing.

‘’Look, we can not allow UP to become a police state,’’, the Court said.

The court was hearing a matter pertaining to the rising trend of shooting the accused in the legs by the cops and the steps to prevent the same. The two officials appeared before the Court through video conferencing.

Justice Deshwal said that the law was not being followed in every district and that he did not find even a single case where the law or the directives of the Supreme Court was followed.

He observed that at times this became the reason for disputes between the district police chiefs and the judicial officers.

He also said that he had to transfer a CJM owing to prevent such a dispute.

Justice Deshwal said that he had received feedback from most of the district judges that the police officers, especially those who are new in service, and being IPS, start pressuring the judicial officers.

He said that he had received inputs from the Bar Association leaders that senior police officers, sometimes, enter the courtrooms and exert ‘pressure’ on the judicial officers. ‘’The authority to punish is with the judiciary not the police,’’ he added.

Krishna assured the court that necessary instructions would be issued to prevent the same.