Kerala High Court warns police officers not to harass lawyer who alleged police assault

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday passed an interim order cautioning the three Kerala police officers against harassing a lawyer who, along with his wife, was allegedly assaulted by these officers [Jagadeesh P v State of Kerala & Ors.]..Justice N Nagaresh was dealing with a petition filed by a practicing lawyer, advocate Jagadeesh P who had sought protection from the police. .In the interim order, Justice Nagaresh asked the police authorities to not harass the petitioner (Jagadeesh P) until the disposal of the petition. The judge added that notice should be issued to the petitioner beforehand if his presence is required by the police in connection with any criminal case. "In the facts of the case, there will be an interim order directing respondents 8 to 10 (police officers in Feroke, Kozhikode) not to harass the petitioner pending disposal of the writ petition. If the presence of the petitioner is required in connection with any crime, the presence should be ensured only after issuing a notice," the order stated. .Advocate Jagadeesh had alleged that he and his wife were molested and brutally manhandled on two occasions by police officers of the Feroke police station..He claimed that the first such assault took place on October 1, after he went to meet a client at around 9.30 PM. He submitted that he had met his client and had discussions while sitting in his car, which had been driven by his wife. He further submitted that the client’s relatives (mother and two brothers) suddenly came towards the car and created a ruckus by assaulting and molesting the petitioner’s wife and opening the driver seat of the car.He averred that they (the petitioner and his wife) drove away along with the client after a few minutes of arguments with the client’s relatives. However, after the lawyer parked the car on a public road near Ramanattukara Post Office to talk with his client, the police came and alleged they were trying to create a riot on the public road.The lawyer further alleged that police officers treated him and his wife badly, manhandling them in public and continuing the ill-treatment until they reached Feroke Police Station in a police van..He stated that he later got bail at the Magistrate Court and was admitted thereafter to Starcare Hospital in Kozhikode for an Angioplasty for a heart condition. The plea further stated that the second assault took place on October 9 by the same police officers who had allegedly manhandled the lawyer and his wife on October 1. The lawyer submitted that these officers were out doing routine patrolling when they spotted him walking with his dog. The lawyer claimed that he was manhandled again, without any rhyme or reason, by these police officers on the said day as well. .In view of these incidents, the lawyer approached the High Court with his plea for protection from the police officers. The plea was admitted by the High Court on October 20, Wednesday, when the Court also sought the response of the police officers allegedly involved in the assault. .The petitioner-lawyer was represented before the High Court by advocate Praveen Harikumar..[Read Order]