A court has pulled up Delhi Police for arresting a retired public servant in connection with a motorbike theft case, saying the move was not only "avoidable" but a matter of serious concern that cops do not hesitate to curtail liberties of citizens.
The court, while expressing anguish that the police personnel were not even aware of the law and ignored the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court on arrest, also said that apparently the process of law has been "abused and subverted" for some ulterior purpose.
"It is a matter of serious concern and I shudder to think that we are trusting the lives and liberties of citizens of this country in the hands of these officials, who as per the official claims, are hardly matriculate and are not even aware of the statutory law," Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said.
They "do not hesitate once while curtailing liberties of citizens despite repeated national outrage and directions to the contrary," she observed while confirming the bail granted earlier to retired government servant Devender Kumar who was arrested in a motorcycle theft case.
The court also said that arrest in the case was "clearly avoidable and hurriedly" made while ignoring the laid down guidelines.
"I fail to understand the justification or the imminent requirement of his (Kumar's) arrest. Rather, there appears to be something more which meets the eye and apparently the process of law has been abused and subverted for some ulterior purpose," the judge said.
The court, in its order, noted that during the hearing, senior police officials and public prosecutor had said that the investigating officer, a head constable, was hardly 10th pass and was not aware about the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court.
