HC raps DGP on 'cop menace'

HYDERABAD: Expressing concern over the "undue interference" of the state police in civil disputes, Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy of the AP High Court on Tuesday directed DGP S S P Yadav to file a personal affidavit within two days explaining the steps initiated in preventing this "unlawful interference." The judge became serious while hearing a petition filed by one Lingala Sivamma of Ranga Reddy which accused the police of undue interference in their private property dispute. In most cases, it was observed that the police were acting on behalf of one of the parties in the dispute, he said. Justice Reddy observed that the court is being flooded with such complaints. "Despite orders passed by this court in recent times directing the DGP to take the initiative to curb this menace, the flow of writ petitions of this nature is continuing unabated," he said. If the allegations in the present petition are correct, the judge further mentioned, then the action of the police is indefensible and the officers at the helm shall initiate effective measures to curb this menace. The matter would be heard again on May 2. Citing the rising number of instances of allegations of interference of police in civil disputes all over the state, he had advised the DGP to bestow his attention on this issue and ‘initiate appropriate measures to control this evil’. He made several serious observations while disposing of a petition filed by one Kurma Mallamma of Godavarikhani in Karimnagar district which accused the circle inspector of police of that area with harassing her 80-year-old husband in a civil dispute.
30 Apr 2008, 0236 hrs IST , TNNTHE TIMES OF INDIA