In a significant remark, the Supreme Court on Thursday, 26 August, said that police officers "siding" with the ruling party and later getting targeted after the political opponents come to power is a "trend" that needs to stop.
The oral remarks were made by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana while hearing a petition filed by former Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Gurjinder Pal Singh seeking protection in a sedition case filed against him over alleged offences against the Chhattisgarh government.
"State of affairs in the country is sad. When a political party is in power, police officials side with a particular party. Then, when a new party comes into power, the government initiates action against those officials. This is a new trend, which needs to be stopped," Ramana said, as quoted by LiveLaw.
'Police Responsible for the Trend'
The bench, also comprising of Justice Surya Kant, said that police officers misuse power and harass opponents of the ruling party to be in the party's "good books," according to NDTV.
The bench also said that "it's the police who should be held responsible for the trend" and asserted that they must stick to the rule of law.
Singh is facing investigation in a disproportionate assets case by the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW). After his residence was raided in July this year, some critical documents and statistical reports related to the state government and representatives of various wings of the state were allegedly recovered, according to LiveLaw.
Singh was suspended and charged with sedition in the First Information Report (FIR) registered against him. He moved the apex court after the Chhattisgarh High Court refused to quash the FIR.
The Supreme Court has granted him protection from arrest for four weeks.
(With inputs from LiveLaw and NDTV.)
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