Telangana HC issues contempt notice to Sajjanar over custodial torture

After hearing the petition, Justice T Madhavi Devi issued the notice under Sections 10 to 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act and adjourned the case by four weeks, asking Sajjanar to respond.

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has issued a contempt notice to Hyderabad Commissioner of Police VC Sajjanar over the alleged custodial torture of a petitioner.

According to petitioner Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam, the alleged incident took place on August 6 at Bhavaninagar Police Station. He submitted a representation to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mirchowk Division, and later sent a written complaint to the Director General of Police by registered post, alleging inaction against the police officials concerned.

After hearing the petition, Justice T Madhavi Devi issued the notice under Sections 10 to 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act and adjourned the case by four weeks, asking Sajjanar to respond.

The contempt proceedings relate to the High Court’s August 13 order. At the time, Alam filed a writ petition claiming that he was beaten by the police and that chilli powder was thrown into his eyes while he was in custody, despite him not being involved in a criminal case.

During the writ proceedings, the government pleader for Home submitted that cross-complaints had been lodged against each other by Shahnawaz Alam and Md Aslam Khan, who had filed a case against the petitioner.

The judge was also informed that a case had been registered against Alam and that his complaint was under inquiry. The allegations of physical torture were denied.

The court had asked Sajjanar to examine the complaint, verify the CCTV footage of the police station concerned and, if the allegations were found to be true, take appropriate action against the officials concerned.