Ensure innocents from backward groups not named in history sheet: SC

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 7

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the police authorities in states and union territories to ensure that innocent people and individuals from backward communities were not named in a history sheet.

Prevent prejudicial, targeted treatment

All state governments are therefore expected to take necessary preventive measures to safeguard such communities from being subjected to inexcusable targeting or prejudicial treatment. SC

The police authorities in states and UTs should ensure that no mechanical entries in a history sheet are made of innocent individuals belonging to socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds along with backward communities, scheduled castes or scheduled tribes, a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Viswanathan said. The directions came on a petition filed by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan challenging the Delhi Police’s decision to declare him as a “bad character”.

The top court said a history sheet is an internal public document and not a publicly accessible report. Extra care and precaution should be observed by police officers while ensuring that the identity of a minor is not disclosed as provided by law in a history sheet, it said.

“It is alleged that police diaries are maintained selectively of individuals belonging to Vimukta Jatis, based solely on caste bias, a somewhat similar manner as happened in colonial times,” said the Bench, which initiated suo motu action.

There were some studies available in the public domain that reveal a pattern of “unfair, prejudicial and atrocious” mindset, it noted.

“We must bear in mind that these preconceived notions often render them invisible victims due to prevailing stereotypes associated with their communities, which may often impede their right to live a life with self-respect,” the Bench said.

The Bench directed the top court Registry to forward a copy of this judgment to the chief secretary and director general of police of all states and UTs to enable them to consider and comply with what has been held above, as early as possible but not later than six months. A periodical audit mechanism will serve as a critical tool to review and scrutinise entries made in a history sheet, it said.

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