Bombay High Court Summons Commissioner Of Police Pimpri Chinchwad Over Ill-Preparedness Of His Officers In Assisting Public Prosecutors

The Bombay High Court on Friday expressed extreme displeasure at the lack of assistance and insufficient knowledge about the case displayed by police officers meant to assist prosecutors during bail hearings.

Justice Madhav Jamdar observed that such behaviour was adversely affecting the administration of justice and summoned the commissioner of Pimpri–Chinchwad to appear in the matter either physically or through video conferencing on March 20, 2024.

“The Police personnel who come to Court for giving instructions to the learned APPs appearing in the matters, are often neither aware nor well-versed with the relevant details of the case,” the court lamented.

On Friday the court was dealing with the bail application filed by one Akshay Londhe in a murder case. He is accused of murdering a man and harassing his wife at the behest of the woman's mother.

The facts of the case were particularly unique as the accused mother-in-law allegedly admitted to the police that she had slept with all the assailants to lure them to commit murder. She had further confessed to giving Rs. 3000 to Londhe.

Advocate Tapan Thatte instructed by Advocate Vivek Arote appeared for the accused post-filing of the chargesheet.

However, APP Veera Shinde sought time API Ashish R. Jadhav who had travelled from Dehu Road Police Station for the matter wasn't aware of the facts or the status of the case before the trial court. He was unable to answer basic questions about the criminal antecedents of the accused.

Justice Jamdar observed that this wasn't the first time an officer was unprepared. In another matter, he recounted how the police's conduct was extremely suspicious, suggesting possible involvement in pressurizing the victim and her family. He said:

“It was found that the Police personnel had come to the High Court in a car. However, he was not aware about anything regarding the case and, in fact, his conduct was suspicious. In that matter, the victim and her parents were pressurised and there are some circumstances to believe that the said Police personnel was also involved in pressurising the victim and her parents.”

Such type of behaviour from the Police personnel is noticed almost everyday in this Court, the judge added.

Accordingly, the court summoned the commissioner and kept the matter for hearing on March 20.

Case Number - CRIMINAL BAIL APPLICATION NO.3872 OF 2023

Case Status - Akshay Londhe vs The State of Maharashtra

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