Expressing concern over growing activities of anti-social elements in Puducherry, Madras High Court today came down heavily on police for remaining "silent spectators."
The court also directed the District Collector to submit before September 19 a report on the number of cases registered under the Prevention of Anti Social Activities Act (Goondas Act).
The observations were made by Justice K K Sasidharan while passing an interim order on a petition by a retired school teacher who sought police protection to her and her son.
The Judge said the facts of the present case prima facie very clearly showed the sorry state of affairs in Puducherry.
"Police who are expected to help the people very strangely remain silent spectators, thereby giving moral support to the anti-social elements," he said.
Petitioner V Kalpanadevi of Muthialpet in Puducherry sought a direction to Puducherry Inspector General and Superintendent of Police to give protection to her and her son, a marine engineer, saying they faced extortion by a notorious rowdy.
She alleged when they approached police seeking action against the rowdy, lodged in a jail, and his henchmen, the latter too threatened them and demanded money.
The rowdy had demanded Rs three lakh to safeguard their property. Her son made a part payment of Rs 1.25 lakh and many a times he was made to pay a considerable amount to the henchmen of the rowdy, she submitted.
On their complaint, a case was registered in 2012. But, the Inspector of Muthialpet Police station, who was the investigating officer, too started threatening her that the property would be reconveyed to the seller and attempted to extract money from her son, she charged.
The Judge said the main reason behind Puducherry Government enacting the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2008 was only to curb the growing dangerous activities of criminals and land grabbers, the judge said in his order.
Referring to some recent incidents including the murder of two accused on bail when they came to a police station to sign and the attempt to murder the rowdy, extorting money from the petitioner, by a rival group in the Yanam prison, he said, "Even after enacting the above preventive law, the Union Territory witnessed several unlawful activities."
If this kind of 'lawlessness' continued, the same would affect the overall development of the Union territory, which attracted visitors not only from India but even from abroad, he said and directed the Puducherry Collector to submit a detailed report on detentions under the act and posted the case to September 19.
