The Allahabad High Court delivered a sharp rebuke to four police officers accused of beating, robbing, and wrongfully detaining a doctor and his companions, making it crystal clear: a police uniform is no license for lawlessness.
In a no-nonsense ruling, Justice Raj Beer Singh refused to quash criminal proceedings against Sub-Inspector Animesh Kumar and Constables Kuldeep Yadav, Sudhir, and Dushyant. Their defense — that they were simply “doing their duty” — fell apart under the Court’s scrutiny.
“Police uniform is not a shield for unlawful acts,” the Court declared, stressing that when public servants step outside the boundary of their official responsibilities, they cannot hide behind the legal protections meant for legitimate actions. Prior government sanction to prosecute? Not needed here, the Court said — because robbery and assault aren’t part of the job description.
The case traces back to a June 2022 incident. A minor brush between two vehicles spiraled into a nightmare when the doctor’s car was intercepted near Khudaganj later that night. Allegedly, the officers dragged the doctor and his staff from their car, assaulted them, robbed them of cash and jewelry, and then locked them up at the Saraimeera police post for nearly ninety minutes.
Medical reports confirmed the injuries, and witness statements lined up with the doctor’s account. Despite claiming they were on patrol and only acted after a warning about rash driving, the accused failed to produce any proof — not even a basic General Diary entry — to back up their story.
Justice Singh leaned on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Om Prakash Yadav v. Niranjan Kumar Upadhyay, reminding everyone that legal immunity only shields acts reasonably connected to official duties. Beating civilians and snatching chains? Nowhere close.
“It’s not even alleged that the complainant or his companions committed a crime,” the Court noted, shredding the officers’ claim that their behavior was somehow official. Instead, the evidence pointed toward an abuse of power, pure and simple.
Finding a strong prima facie case against the four, the High Court slammed the door shut on their petition. The message rang loud and clear — authority in uniform doesn’t excuse criminality.
