Supreme Court Directs Police Personnel to Pay Rs. 6 Lakhs for Misconduct in Property Demolition Case”

In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court of India today directed six police personnel to pay a total of Rs. 6 lakhs as a part of costs in a case involving the illegal demolition of a property and subsequent police misconduct. The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Satish Chandra Sharma, passed this order in a series of connected Special Leave Petitions (SLP).

The case, titled Shatrughna Atmaram Patil & Ors. Vs. Vinod Dodhu Chaudhary & Anr., and connected petitions, revolved around the illegal demolition of a property following the suicide of its owner, Rajeev Ramrao Chavan. The tenants, Vijaykumar Vishwanath Dhawale and Vinod Dodhu Chaudhary, who lodged complaints against the demolition, alleged police misconduct.

The judgment highlighted the role of police personnel in the illegal detention of the tenants and their coercion to sign documents vacating the premises. Justice Vikram Nath observed, “What we are not satisfied with is why the police personnel have been allowed to go scot-free in a case where they had an apparent role in conspiring and in abetting the crime.”

The court’s directive mandates that the police personnel deposit the amount in the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund within four weeks and provide proof of deposit. This instruction follows a settlement in which the accused paid Rs. 10 lakhs to each of the tenants, leading to the withdrawal of their complaints. The proceedings arising out of the two criminal complaints under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, shall be quashed upon the deposit of the said amount.

The bench also clarified that the observations made and the direction for compensation by the police personnel should not be treated adversely in consideration of their promotions or service records.

 Date of Decision: 30th January 2024

SHATRUGHNA ATMARAM PATIL & ORS. VS VINOD DODHU CHAUDHARY & ANR.