In a stern rebuke, the Supreme Court has issued contempt of court notices to three police officers from Jharkhand for violating its order that granted interim protection to an accused in a high-profile case. The officers now face consequences for filing a charge sheet against the accused, despite the court’s clear directive to refrain from pursuing the case during the interim period.
A bench led by Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih expressed its displeasure over what it described as a “brazen” and “wilful breach” of its order. The court made it clear that the actions of the Jharkhand police were not only defiant but could constitute contempt. The officers involved, Deputy Superintendent Deepak Kumar, Station House Officer Dayanand Kumar, and Investigating Officer Tarkeshwar Prasad Kesari, have been summoned to appear before the court on November 4.
The case in question revolves around a landlord-tenant dispute, with the tenant, the wife of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, accusing the landlord of forcibly entering the property, causing damage, and assaulting her. On the other hand, the landlord argued that the tenant had defaulted on rent payments, prompting eviction proceedings.
The Jharkhand High Court had initially granted interim protection to the landlord in 2017, but later vacated it in May 2023, refusing to quash the criminal complaint. In response, the Supreme Court intervened, instructing the state to hold off on pursuing the case until further notice.
However, the police filed a charge sheet against the landlord and even published newspaper notices while the Supreme Court’s protection order was still in effect. This blatant disregard for the top court’s order was met with harsh criticism from the bench, which deemed the actions as contemptuous.
The court has ordered that the notice be served through the Office of the Superintendent of Police in Ranchi, further intensifying the gravity of the situation. The officers’ actions now hang in the balance as they await the court’s judgment on their alleged contempt.
