Prayagraj : Observing that the Uttar Pradesh Control of Goondas Act, 1970, is increasingly being used as a “tool of oppression” by bureaucrats and the state, Allahabad high court has warned officials to refrain from such conduct or face punitive damages.
With this, the court allowed a petition filed by Ghaziabad resident Abhishek Tyagi and quashed proceedings initiated against him under the Act while awarding him Rs 50,000 as damages. By an order dated Sept 18, 2025, the additional commissioner of police, Ghaziabad, directed Tyagi to remain at his permanent address and mark his attendance at the police station concerned on every second and fourth Saturday for six months.
Justice Sandeep Jain in his Sept 10 order noted that the court has consistently held that a person cannot be branded a “goonda” merely on the basis of one or two criminal cases. However, it observed that the bureaucracy had “deliberately not noticed” these rulings and continued to pass orders contrary to settled law. “Time has now come for a strong message to be sent to the bureaucracy to stop such conduct or face punitive damages,” the court noted. It is apparent that the Act is being used as a tool of oppression by bureaucracy and the state, which is contrary to the objects of the Act,” the court said.
The court also granted liberty to state govt to recover the compensation amount from the salaries of bureaucrats concerned. The high court set aside orders passed by the additional commissioner of police, Ghaziabad, and the commissioner, Meerut Division. “There is a gap of three years between the two criminal cases, which shows that he is not a habitual offender.