High Court seeks inquiry report from UP police over ‘illegal’ arrest

The Delhi High Court has directed the Director General of the Uttar Pradesh Police to file an inquiry report regarding the arrest of a Delhi resident by the UP Police from Connaught Place without informing the local police.

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A Bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta issued a notice to the UP Police counsel, seeking a status report on the inquiry it had previously ordered.

In its order on March 20, the Bench stated, “The Commissioner/DGP of the UP Police shall file the report.”

The court was hearing a petition that claimed the petitioner, Satinder Singh Bhasin, was intercepted by the UP Police from Connaught Place on February 18 without prior intimation to the Delhi Police and was taken to an undisclosed location. He was later released on February 19 by a UP court.

Earlier, the High Court had emphasised that inter-state arrests must follow due procedure and had directed the Police Commissioner of Greater Noida to file a report. The Bench also noted a video clip that reportedly suggested the petitioner was misusing court orders in his habeas corpus plea.

“No party should misuse or misinterpret the judicial orders in any manner,” the Bench said, adding that the purpose of the habeas corpus petition was to ensure the petitioner’s safety and not to settle personal disputes.

Advocate Vishal Gosain, representing Bhasin, asserted that his client had never intended to use the court’s order for media attention.

Taking a note of the incident, the High Court on February 20 sought responses from both UP Police and Delhi Police, questioning why proper protocol was not followed. It also directed that CCTV footage of the arrest be preserved and presented before the court.

The petitioner alleged that he was physically assaulted and manhandled by the UP Police. Consequently, the Greater Noida Police Commissioner was instructed to submit the petitioner’s post-arrest medical report.

Meanwhile, the UP Police counsel informed the court that an FIR had been registered against Bhasin in Greater Noida under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita for alleged offences related to theft.