Pilibhit: In a development highlighting allegations of police high-handedness, an FIR has been registered against the SHO of Jahanabad police station, Pilibhit, Jayashankar Singh, along with head constable Mohammad Irfan and constable Manoj Kumar in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit district.
The FIR was lodged on Tuesday afternoon following an Oct 30 judicial order issued by the chief judicial magistrate under BNSS Section 173(4) (legal remedy). The action follows a complaint by Ramanuj Saini (36), a practising lawyer at Allahabad High Court and resident of Jahanabad. Saini stated that after he submitted a public grievance on Jansunwai portal, constable Manoj Kumar summoned him to the police station on Aug 27 on the pretext of an inquiry.
Hassan stated that Saini was released only after the SHO coerced him into writing a letter admitting to misbehaviour.
The court had directed police to register the case within seven days and produce a copy of the FIR, according to Vikarul Hassan, the advocate representing the complainant. In an unusual turn of events, the FIR against the SHO was lodged by Singh himself at his own station. Upon returning his belongings, the officers allegedly cited their official positions to threaten him with career-ending charges if he pursued legal action. Saini informed the court that the entire sequence was captured on the police station’s CCTV network.
When his colleague, advocate Aamir Khan, arrived at the station, the accused officers allegedly threatened him and warned that Saini would be framed in a false case unless he left immediately.