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SC voices concern over police officers aligning with party in power and being targetted when regime changes

The Supreme Court protects ADG-rank officer from cases in Chhattisgarh
Last Updated 26 August 2021, 12:38 IST

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed its concern over a "disturbing trend" of police officials aligning with a political party in power, later getting targetted with criminal cases when another regime comes into office.

"When a political party is in power, police officials side with it... then, when a new party comes into power, the government initiates action against those officials. This is a new trend, which needs to be stopped," a bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana said.

The bench, also comprising Justice Surya Kant, further pointed out that this was a very disturbing trend in the country and the police department was also responsible for it.

The top court made these observations while granting protection from arrest to a suspended senior ADG rank-officer, Gurjinder Pal Singh, against whom two criminal cases -- sedition and amassing disproportionate assets -- have been filed by the Congress-led Chhattisgarh government.

The top court directed the police not to arrest Singh in the cases for now.

However, it directed Singh to cooperate with the agencies in the ongoing investigation.

Senior advocate F S Nariman appeared for the suspended police officer and senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Rakesh Dwivedi appeared for the state government.

The city police have registered a sedition case against Singh based on a written complaint filed by the anti-corruption bureau, which reportedly seized alleged documents from him, which indicated a conspiracy against the government.

The top court directed the state government to file its reply to the two separate petitions within four weeks and asked the police not to arrest Singh in the meanwhile.

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(Published 26 August 2021, 12:38 IST)

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