In a firm nod to human dignity over uniformed excess, the Madras High Court has upheld a ₹1 lakh compensation order for a man brutalised in police custody—sending a clear message that the badge is not a shield against accountability.
A Division Bench of Justices J Nisha Banu and M Jothiraman dismissed a plea filed by two police officers challenging the State Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) decision that held them accountable for the illegal detention and torture of one Rajnikanth—who was picked up in the dead of night, stripped, assaulted, and later beaten again near Puzhal police station after remand.
The Court reiterated that the role of the police isn’t just law enforcement—it includes safeguarding constitutional freedoms and upholding the dignity of the most vulnerable. “Respecting human dignity, preventing discrimination, and fostering accountability are not optional—they’re foundational,” the Court said, anchoring its reasoning in the duties police are meant to uphold.
The SHRC had earlier found that the actions of the Inspector and Sub-Inspector amounted to a clear violation of Rajnikanth’s rights to liberty and dignity. The Commission not only held the officers responsible but found the State government vicariously liable—prompting it to sanction the compensation.
The officers argued that Rajnikanth had been arrested for cheating and insisted that the SHRC had overlooked this, failed to justify the compensation amount, and ignored guidelines from the National Human Rights Commission. But the Court was unmoved.
Reinforcing the legal weight of the SHRC’s orders, the Bench noted that once a recommendation is accepted by the State and not judicially challenged, it becomes enforceable. “The Commission’s powers flow from the statute. Once its findings are accepted, they cannot be set aside lightly,” the Court said.
The judgment not only seals Rajnikanth’s long wait for justice but also reaffirms the judiciary’s intolerance for custodial brutality. In the eyes of the Court, no uniform—no matter how starched—should be allowed to trample on the Constitution.