Police Act, 1861

The appellants, Manchu Mohan Babu and his son, organized a rally and dharna on 22 March 2019 to protest the state government's refusal to reimburse student fees, despite a Model Code of Conduct prohibiting such gatherings without permission. The police registered FIR No.102 of 2019 alleging offences under IPC sections …

Surinder Pal Singh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was accused of misappropriating twenty gold bricks recovered during an investigation and was charged under several IPC sections, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Treasure‑Trove Act. The investigation was carried out by an Inspector of the Crime Branch, whic…

The Supreme Court examined the convictions of thirty‑one accused arising from a "Rasta Roko" agitation during which a university bus carrying 47 female students was set ablaze, killing three girls and injuring many others. The Court upheld the death sentences of the three principal accused (Nedu, Madhu and Muniappan) f…

The case concerned the promotion of constables to head constables under the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, which were amended in 1982 and 1988. The tribunal had held that constables confirmed before the 1988 amendment possessed a vested right to promotion based on seniority, and it ordered a fresh seniority list, which the…

An oral statement led to registration of a murder case, initially investigated by the police station officer-in-charge. The investigation was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and an Inspector of CID conducted the inquiry and filed the charge‑sheet. The accused challenged the charge‑sheet…

The case concerns the honour killing of a Dalit boy, Murugesan, and his Vanniyar bride, Kannagi, in 2003. Police officers Sub‑Inspector K.P. Tamilmaran (A‑14) and Inspector M. Sellamuthu (A‑15) failed to register an FIR despite being informed of the murders and later fabricated evidence to implicate Dalit relatives whi…

The case involved police officers accused of torturing a suspect, Shama @ Kalya, while in custody, leading to his death and alleged tampering with evidence. The prosecution relied on witness testimony, a fingerprint test linking an unidentified burnt body to the victim, and claims of a staged escape, while the defence …

Madhu Bala filed two complaints alleging offences under Sections 498A and 406 IPC before Chief Judicial Magistrates. The magistrates, invoking Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, directed the police to register a case and investigate; the police registered FIRs, investigated, and submitted charge‑sheets. The…

A writ petition challenged the selection of Panchayat Secretaries and alleged irregularities involving the former Rural Development Minister, Nirmal Singh Kahlon. The High Court, after a prima facie finding of fraud, directed an inquiry which led to a Vigilance Department FIR and charge‑sheet. The Court then ordered th…

Sub‑Inspector Prithipal Singh was dismissed on a charge of grave misconduct for allegedly letting a smuggler off after taking money. The appellate authority set aside the dismissal, reinstated him and a departmental inquiry was held, which found the charges unproved and the disciplinary proceeding was dropped. Later, u…

The State of Maharashtra detained Mehamud under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers and Drug Offenders Act, 1981, labeling him a "dangerous person" on the basis that he was involved in fourteen criminal cases and several pending offences under IPC Chapters XVI, XVII and the Arms…

The appellants were recruited as Steno Sub‑Inspectors in the Bihar Police and, after five years of service, were appointed on reversion to the general line as Sub‑Inspectors. They claimed that their seniority in the general line should be counted from their original appointment dates as Steno Sub‑Inspectors, relying on…

The Supreme Court examined public‑interest writ petitions filed after the CBI seized diaries implicating senior politicians and bureaucrats. The petitions alleged that the CBI and revenue authorities had failed to investigate the allegations and that a government "Single Directive" requiring prior sanction of the conce…

The State of Assam and its officials challenged the validity of Rule 63(iii) of the Assam Police Manual, which designates the Deputy Commissioner as the reporting authority for Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) and Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) of District Superintendents of Police (SPs). The respondent…

The Supreme Court, acting suo motu under Article 32, examined the widespread destruction of public and private property during agitations, bandhs and hartals. It appointed two expert committees—one chaired by Justice K.T. Thomas and the other by senior lawyer F.S. Nariman—to recommend measures for prevention, investiga…

The case concerned whether the Home Secretary of Haryana could act as the reporting authority for the Inspector General of Police (IGP) under the All‑India Services (Confidential Rolls) Rules, 1970. The respondent, IGP P.C. Wadhwa, challenged a confidential report and adverse remarks prepared by the Home Secretary, whi…

A First Information Report alleging fraud by TISCO against the railways led to a criminal case registered at Tatanagar. After the railway police filed a final report under section 173(2) of the CrPC, the State of Bihar, through the Chief Secretary and Chief Minister, directed the Inspector General (Vigilance) to conduc…

The Constitution Bench examined whether a police officer must register a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC) upon receiving information of a cognizable offence, or may first conduct a preliminary inquiry to test its veracity. Relying on the literal meaning of …

The appellants, Budh Singh and five others, were charged with murdering Ram Gopal and his wife Chatarvati and attempting to murder their son Rajveer Singh over a land dispute. The prosecution’s case relied on an FIR lodged at 00:25 on 13 April 1992, which reached the court on 18 April, and on medical and eyewitness evi…

The Tamil Nadu government, after receiving a complaint from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Commissioner, ordered on 01.08.2018 that all idol‑theft investigations being handled by the Idol Wing of the CID be transferred to the CBI. The Madras High Court quashed that order and, under Article 226, appointed…

The Supreme Court examined a batch of appeals challenging out‑of‑turn promotions granted to police personnel in Punjab and Haryana on the basis of bravery in anti‑terrorist operations or outstanding performance in sports. The promotions were effected by circulars and guidelines issued by the Director General of Police,…

The State of Jharkhand created Fast Track Courts (FTCs) to address case backlogs, appointing judges who were on the merit list for the regular judicial cadre but could not be placed due to limited cadre strength. The appellants served as FTC judges for about nine years and were later regularised into the regular judici…

The respondent, an Assistant Sub‑Inspector, was caught taking a bribe and was investigated and charge‑sheeted in a criminal trial. He challenged the framing of charges on the ground that the investigation violated Rule 16.38 of the Punjab Police Rules. The High Court held the rule to be mandatory and applicable to crim…

The petitioners, undertrials, alleged that police blinded them while in custody and sought compensation under Article 21. They requested CID reports and related documents, which the State refused to produce citing protection under Sections 162 and 172 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Supreme Court held that the repo…

The case concerned the promotion of Sub‑Inspectors of the Uttar Pradesh police to the rank of Inspector. The Selection Committee had used the criteria laid down in the Government Order of 5 November 1965, a special rule under the Police Act, rather than the Uttar Pradesh Government Service (Criteria for Recruitment by …

The petitioners, who are police ministerial officers working in district offices, sought parity of pay scales and other emoluments with their counterparts in the headquarters (DIG, IG, DGP) based on a 1974 Government of Orissa resolution that created a separate cadre of police ministerial officers. The issue before the…

Tofan Singh was convicted under Sections 8(c) r/w 21(c) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for allegedly trafficking 5.250 kg of heroin. The conviction rested primarily on a statement recorded by an investigating officer under Section 67 of the NDPS Act, which the appellant claimed was …

Prof. Sumer Chand was acquitted of several IPC offences after being prosecuted by police officers. He subsequently filed a civil suit for Rs. 3,00,000 damages alleging malicious prosecution against the police officers who had registered the false report and filed the challan. The respondents contended that the suit was…

During the 1980s, amid terrorism in Punjab, the State recruited ex‑servicemen as Special Police Officers (SPOs) under Section 17 of the Police Act, 1861 to guard public‑sector banks, with their wages paid by the banks. The SPOs served for decades and sought regularisation as permanent police personnel, but the Senior S…

The State of Uttar Pradesh conducted a massive recruitment for Sub‑Inspector, Platoon Commander and Fire Officer posts, receiving over 6.3 lakh applications and holding the written exam in 29 batches over 12 days with different question papers. The Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board applied a "Standar…

The respondents, who were constables, head constables, assistant sub‑inspectors and sub‑inspectors serving in various districts of Haryana, challenged transfer orders that moved them to other districts or ranges, arguing that the Punjab Police Rules, 1934 limited such transfers within their own district or range. The P…

The appellants, Malak Singh and Jaswant Singh, challenged the inclusion of their names in a police surveillance register maintained under the Punjab Police Rules, alleging that the entry was made without any material basis and violated their fundamental right to privacy under Articles 21 and 19(1)(d) of the Constitutio…

The Supreme Court examined a public‑interest writ petition filed by civil‑society activists alleging that the State of Chhattisgarh, with the Union's financial support, was employing thousands of barely literate tribal youths as Special Police Officers (SPOs) and arming them to combat Maoist/Naxalite insurgents, thereb…

The case concerned appointments of junior assistants in the office of the Director General/Inspector General of Police in Orissa made between 1981 and 1985 under the Orissa Police Manual, 1940. After the Orissa Ministerial Service Rules of 1975 and the statutory rules of 1988 came into force, the State Government grant…

The State of Punjab ordered the repatriation of constables who had been deputed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for many years, directing them to return to their parent police departments as constables or head constables. The respondents challenged the order, arguing that they should retain the higher ra…

The complainant, wife of a deceased, filed a criminal complaint against three police officials—Assistant Commissioner Sankaran Moitra and two subordinate officers, S.M. Kundu and Sudhir Sikdar—alleging that the latter two murdered her husband on the direction of Moitra. The trial court took cognizance and the accused w…