BAGLEKAR AKASH KUMAR Vs. STATE OF TELANGANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Based on a news item, published in 'The Hindu', English daily news paper, on 10.05.2020 entitled as "Police, not Judges, award punishment", Mr. Baglekar Akash Kumar, wrote a letter, dated 10.05.2020, to the Hon'ble the Chief Justice with regard to the incident reported in the said news item. Based on the said letter, the present suo motu Writ Petition (PIL) No.97 of 2020 was registered.

(2.) According to the news item, five accused persons, alleged to have committed the offence under Section 319 of I.P.C., were allegedly made to move barricades under scorching summer sun by the police. According to the petitioner, to force the accused persons to move barricades in the hot summer tantamounts to torture inflicted by the police. Therefore, necessary action should be taken against the erring police personnel.

(3.) The learned Advocate General for the State of Telangana submitted that a large number of statements of villagers recorded by the police belonging to different villages, to this Court on 27.08.2020. According to all these witnesses, migrant workers were stopped at the barricade of Wadapally check-post. The villagers volunteered to shift the barricades in order to help migrant workers on the way to their homes. According to these witnesses, no one was forced to carry out any work, and their work was entirely voluntary in nature. Basing on these statements, the learned Advocate General submits that the news item appearing in "The Hindu" is incorrect one as the people had volunteered to help out the migrant workers, who were moving across the State at the relevant time.