On November 30, a Patna High Court judge pulled up the police officials for illegally demolishing the house of a petitioner.
Justice Sandeep Kumar hearing a plea filed by the man whose house in Agam Kuan, Patna was demolished by the police, was furious on getting apprised by the facts of the case. He questioned whether the police was representing the state or some private person.
“On reading of the FIR and the counter affidavit of the SHO, it appears that all the officials are hand in gloves with some land mafia and they have illegally demolished the house of the petitioner without following the due process of law,” the order said.
The petitioner submitted that a false was registered against him and family to pressurize them to vacate the house.
The judge orally commented that he will give an order where the police officials responsible for this will have to pay compensation to the petitioner out of their own pockets. “The police and CO are demolishing people’s homes after taking bribes.”
This case will take an ugly stand he said and called the police “agents” of the land mafia.
Patna High Court Judge furious over #bulldozerjustice, says ‘close down the courts’https://t.co/zrFC4uyahF pic.twitter.com/1iOpKPfIYc
— MuslimMirror.com (@MuslimMirror) November 30, 2022
This is the latest incident of “bulldozer injustice” that has come to light in recent times. Demolishing homes of alleged miscreants or gangsters has become the norm in states like UP, MP, Gujarat and Delhi, while Uttarakhand and Karnataka seem to be catching up as well. Lack of stringent action by courts is being seen as the primary reasons for such widespread injustice.
On November 20, the Gauhati High Court reprimanded the Assam Superintendent of Police for bulldozing the homes of five arson accused “under the guise of investigation”. The court took suo moto cognizance [In Re State of Assam and others, PIL (Suo Moto)/3/2022] of the matter, where the home of 5 men accused of setting fire to Batadrava Police Station in Nagaon district were demolished.
Detailed analysis of the evolution of such illegal bulldozer action by the state may be read here.
Related:
“Bulldozer Injustice”: Time for courts to actively step in
Allahabad High Court imposes Rs. 5 lakhs cost for misuse of Goondas Act