COURTS ON ITS OWN MOTION Vs. HARDEEP SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) CHARGE of criminal contempt against a police official is a serious one. It is for this reason that we have gone into this case in some detail.

(2.) SI Hardeep Singh was posted as SHO Police Station Patti, District Tarn Taran in September, 2007. Deep Kumar of Patti filed a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India (habeas corpus petition) to direct SI Hardeep Singh to release his father Raj Pal Singh and brother-in-law Raj Kumar from his illegal custody. The petition was filed on September 30, 2007 (Sunday). The petitioner gave some background of his family and described the reasons why SI Hardeep Singh was upset with him.

(3.) "Yesterday" (September 29) the petitioner's brother-in-law came from Delhi alongwith his wife. At the same time the respondent also came to their house with some constables and took the petitioner's brother-in-law with him, leaving a message that he would teach a lesson to the petitioner and his father. The petitioner met the respondent at 9 p.m. but he refused to release his brother-in-law. "Today" (September 30) the petitioner's father Raj Pal Singh went to the respondent for the release of Raj Kumar but he was also detained by the respondent.