HC allows SHRC to summon Police Commissioner for explaining his statement, ‘Rowdies will be taught in the language they understand’

Madras High Court refuses to restrain SHRC from summoning CoP over rowdyism comments, stays action against ACP.

The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to restrain the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), led by retired Chief Justice S. Manikumar, from proceeding with the summons issued by it to Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police (CoP) A. Arun to appear in person on October 14 and explain what did he mean when he told the media that “rowdies will be taught in the language they understand.”

A Division Bench of Justices P.B. Balaji and G. Arul Murugan stayed only the SHRC’s direction to the Home Secretary, Director General of Police and the CoP to initiate disciplinary action against Tiruvottiyur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) A. Elangovan whose video warning the family of a history sheeter of dire consequences had gone viral on social media.

The Bench refrained from granting any kind of interim order with respect to the other proceedings pending before the SHRC though Mr. Elangovan in his writ petition had urged the court to restrain the commission from proceeding further with the suo motu proceedings initiated by it. The judges made it clear that the SHRC could go ahead with the summons issued to the CoP.

In his affidavit, Mr. Elangovan told the court that the Greater Chennai City Police had tightened the vigil on known criminals after the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu unit president K. Armstrong on July 5 this year. Accordingly, it came to his knowledge that a history sheeter Kuttiga alias Praveen under his jurisdiction was missing since the murder of the political leader.

Stating that the history sheeter was already involved in a murder for revenge case, the ACP said, that he went to Praveen’s residence along with his subordinates and asked the family members to keep a watch on his activities and inform the police if they found anything suspicious. A video of the conversation went viral on social media and hence the SHRC took suo motu cognisance of it.

In the video, the SHRC found the ACP to be warning the family members that Praveen’s hands and legs could be broken if he commits any crime and that there was also a possibility of him being killed in a police encounter if he indulges in a heinous crime such as murder. Therefore, it summoned the ACP on October 7 to find out whether the video was genuine or doctored.

When the ACP admitted to have spoken so, the SHRC directed the Home Secretary, DGP as well as the CoP to initiate appropriate disciplinary action against him and report to the commission on October 14. During the hearing on October 7, the Commission also asked the ACP as to what did he understand by the CoP’s media statement made immediately after assuming office on July 8.