Holding

Swearing false affidavits in judicial proceedings constitutes criminal contempt of the Court, and police officials who filed such affidavits and pressured a witness are guilty of contempt and perjury.

Summary

The Supreme Court entertained a writ of habeas corpus filed by Dhananjay Sharma alleging illegal detention by Haryana police on 15‑1‑1994. The police officials (SSP Anil Davra, Addl SP Sham Lal Goel and SHO Rajinder Singh) denied the allegations and filed false affidavits, while also pressurising the taxi driver Sushi Kumar to give a false statement. A CBI inquiry confirmed the detainment and the falsity of the officials’ affidavits. The Court held that filing false affidavits and tampering with evidence constitutes criminal contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and also amounts to perjury under the IPC. Respondent 3 (SSP) was sentenced to two months’ simple imprisonment; respondents 4 and 5 (Addl SP and SHO) to three months’ imprisonment each and a fine of Rs 1500; the taxi driver to one day’s imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1000. The Home Secretary and the Director General of Police offered genuine apologies and their contempt proceedings were discharged. No compensation was awarded to the detenu or driver because of their own falsehoods, and the perjury proceedings were dropped after contempt punishments.

Issues considered

The filing of false affidavits in a Supreme Court proceeding amounts to criminal contempt.
Whether police officials can be held liable for illegal detention and perjury.
The State’s liability for unlawful acts of its officers and the question of compensation.
Whether an apology can discharge contempt proceedings.
The necessity to drop perjury proceedings after contempt punishment.

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. 129, s. 144, s. 22(5), s. 32
Contempt of Courts Act, 1971s. 2(c)
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 191, s. 192

Subjects

habeas corpuscontempt of courtfalse affidavitperjuryillegal detentionpolice misconductArticle 32Article 144criminal contemptSupreme Court

Judgment

A DHANANJAY SHARMA
v.
STATE OF HARYANA AND ORS.

MAY 2, 1995

B [DR. A.S. ANAND AND FAIZAN UDDIN, JJ.)

Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 :

S.2(c}-Criminal contempt-Illegal detention of detenues by police of-
C ficials in ranks of SP, DSP and SHo-Habeas Corpus petition filed in
Supreme Court-Police officials filing false affidavits and giving false state-
ments in Court-Besides, DSP and SHO effectively pressurising one of
detenues to file false affidavit and give false statement in Court-Even after
report of C.B.J. establishing factum of illegal detention of detenu by police
personnel, latter filing false affidavits in Court denying the fact!t"-Held swear-
D ing of false affidavits in a court of law amounts to criminal contempt as it
has not only the tendency of causing obstruction in due course of judicial
proceedings, but also to impede, obstruct or inteifere with administration of
justice-SP, DSP and SHO punished for committing contempt of
Court-Their apologies rejected being not apologies of truly repentant persons
E but made with a view to escape punishment-Conduct of Secretary, Depart-
ment of Home in not filing affidavit in response to Court's direction disap-
proved-Director General of Police warned to be careful in future-Apologies
tendered by these two, being genuine and bona fide, accepted.

Indian Penal Code :
F
Ss.191, 192-Perjury-l'o/ice officials-Swearing of false affidavits and
giving false statements as also effectively pressurising one of the detenues to
give false statement and false affidavit in Supreme Coult-Contempt notice
as also notice of perjury issued-,Since punishment was awarded for commit-
G ting contempt of the Court, proceedings regarding commission of perjUT)'

-
dropped.

Constitution of India :
\
Articles 32, 144-Habeas Corpus Petition-Court issuing rule nisf-
H Obligation 011 State fu11ctionaries i11 response t&-Held, all authorities i11 the
964
·1'

DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE 965

. cou11try legally obliged 11ot Ollly to act ill aid of the Supreme Court for A
ellforcement of law declared by it, but also ill aid of all its orders, decrees or
directions-Conduct of fullctionaries ill not filing affidavits about steps taken
by the State to trace and produce detellues in court disapprove{f-State's
respollsibility for unlawful acts by its officei:1 a11d to pay compensation for
violating ftmdamellta/ rights of citizenr-Exp/ained-Po/icing system in the
country requires practical con·ectiona/ nieasures and steps-Detenue's indulg-
B
ing ill falsehood i11 court disentitles him from receiving compellsation.

Article 129-Contempt of Cowt-Exercise of power by Court to punish
• "' for.

In the present writ petition seeking issuance of a writ of Habeas
c
Corpus for the release of the detenue from illegal and unauthorised custody
of the Haryana Police and for his production in Court, it was alleged that
on account of some civil dispute between two companies - respondent no.
6 being Commercial Manager of one and the other being owned by respon-
dent no. 7, son-in-law of the Chief Minister of Haryana - a criminal case D
(FIR No. 663/93) was got registered against the owners of the company of
which the detenu was the General Manager; the detenu filed an application
·on behalf of his employer for exemption from personal appearance in the
Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Hissar in connection with
the said criminal case; while he and an advocate were returning in a taxi E
car on 15.1.1994, a team of Haryana Police Officers waylaid them on
Hissar-Delhi road; after some arguments, the advocate was let-off but the
detenu and the taxi driver.were whisked away by the police personnel and
since then they were being illegally detained by the police and their
whereabouts were not known. The advocate filed an affidavit supporting
the incident as narrated in the writ petition. On 18.1.1994, this Court F
issued notice to Secretary, Home Department, Government of Haryana,
Director General of Police, Haryana, Superintendent of Police, Hlssar,
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Hissar, SHO, Hissar (respondents no. 1
to S respectively) as also to respondent• no. 6 and 7.
G
Ou 19.1.1994, when respondents no. 3 to S filed affidavits denying the
allegations made in the writ petition and the affidavit of the advocate, this
Court directed respondent no. 1 to have a search made for the detennes
and have them produced in this Court.

On 20.1.1994, respondent no. 3 filed another affidavit on behalf of H
966 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) 3 S.C.R.

A respondents no. 1 to 5, suggesting as if the incident as narrated in the writ
petition and the affidavit of the advocate or the subseq.;ent detention of
the detenue did not take place at all. However, on the same day the taxi
driver was produced before the Court by the Delhi Police whereas the
detenu appeared on his own. The detenu in his statement made before this
Court, besides corroborating the a ,ertions made in the writ petition and
0

B the affidavit of the advocate stated that the police party took him and the
taxi driver to the Hissar Police Station where respondent no. 3 made
inquiries from him regarding the criminal case against his employers; they
were detained by the police till about 6.30 P.M. On 17.1.1994 after which
they were let off and the police officers at Hissar told him before leaving
c the police station that his employer should be asked to meet and talk to
the Police Officers at Hissar. He also filed an affidavit on 22.1.1994 adding
that at the time of incident on 15.1.1994 two employees of respondent no.
7 also accompanied the police party. The taxi driver in his statement made
in the Court on 20.1.1994 and in the affidavit filed on 22.1.1994 admitted
D to have taken in his taxi the detenu and the advocate to th~ court of the
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Hissar on 15.1.1994, but denied the
incident of whisking away and the detention of the party by the Police. He
stated that all of them had returned to Delhi on 15.1.1994 itself.

Since, the detenu, was not under any illegal detention at the time of
E his return, the court observed that technically the petition of habeas corpus
did not survive, but, keeping in view the contradictory statements and
affidavits filed in the Court and the developments which had taken place
during the proceedings, the conrt directed tlie CBI to have the matter
inquired into and submit a report regarding the alleged incident on
15.1.1994 on the Hissar- Delhi road and the subsequent detention of the
F detenu.

The CBI after recording the evidence and inquiring into the matter,
submitted the report to the effect that the detenu and the taxi driver were
illegally detained, as alleged by the detenu; respondent no.4 and 5 pres-

.-
G surised the taxi driver to make the false statement in this Court and to
deny the allegations contained in the writ petition and the affidavit of the
lawyer, and he acted accordingly for fear of Haryana Police.

On considering the report of the CBI and the evidence recorded by
H it as Commissioners of the Court, this Court found that, prima facie,
DHANANJAYSHARMA v. STATE 967

respondents 003 to 5 and the taxi driver made false statements and filed A
~ false affidavits in this Court and thus committed offence of perjury and
accordingly directed notice to be issued to them. Since the affidavit dated
20.1.194 had been filed by respondent no. 3 on behalf of respondents 1 to
5 and despite directions of the Court respondent no. 1 had not filed any
affidavit, the Court directed notice to be issued to respondent no. 1 to 5
and the taxi driver to show cause as to why they should not be'punished
B
for having committed contempt of this Court.

The respondents and the taxi driver filed affidavits in response to
• ~
the notices issued to them. All of them tendered unconditional and un-
qualified apologies. Respondents no. 1 and 2, explaining their position c
vis-a-vis the affidavit dated 20.1.1994 filed by respondent no. 3 on behalf of
respondents no. 1 to 5, denied to have seen the said affidavit before its
filing in the court and stated that there was no reason to differ from the
report of the CBI. Respondents no. 4 and 5 stated to have acted as officers
subordinate to respondent no. 3, and denied to have tutored the taxi driver
to make a false statement before the Court. Respondent no. 3, in his D
•
... affidavit dated 21.10.1994, once again denied the allegations contained in
the writ petition regarding waylaying and detention of the detenu and the
taxi driver, and denied to have directly or indirectly pressurised the latter.
The taxi driver admitted in his affidavit that he gave false statement on
20.1.1994 and false affidavit on 22.1.94 in this Court due to fear. E
Ultimately the Court accepted the report of the CBI as correct and
concluded that respondent no. 3 to 5 were taking special interest in the
investigation of case FIR No. 663/93; the two affidavits filed in reply to the
habeas corpus petition by respondent no. 3 on behalf of respondents no. lo
to 5 on 20.1.1994 denying the allegations and the incident of way-laying on F
15.1.1994 and subsequent detention of the detenu and the taxi driver at the
;.
police station were false; respondents no. 4 and 5, besides pressurising the
taxi driver to give false version before the Court as indicated in the report
of CBI, also filed false affidavits in this Court; respondent no. 3 filed
affidavit dated 20.1.1994 on behalf of respondents no. 1 to 5 without G
express knowledge of respondents no. 1 and 2.

' f Disposing of the matter, this Court

HELD : (Per Dr. Anand, J.) : 1.1. Any conduct which has the tendency
to interfere with the administration of justice or the due course of judicial H
968 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.

A proceedings amounts to the commission of criminal contempt. Anyone who
makes an attempt to .impede or undermine or obstruct the free flow of the
unsoiled stream of justice by resorting to the filing of false evidence, com·
mits criminal contempt of the court and renders himself liable to be dealt
with in accordance with the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. [993-C, El

B 1.2. The swearing in 'of false affidavits in judicial proceedings in any
court of law not only has the tendency of causing obstruction in the doe
course of judicial proceedings but has also the tendency to impede,
obstruct and interfere with the administration of justice and exposes the
intention of the concerned party in perverting the course of justice. It aims
C at striking a blow at the Rule of Law and no court can ignore such conduct
which be bas the tendency to shake public confidence iu the judicial
institutions because the very structure of an orderly life is put at stake.
The due process of law cannot be permitted to be slighted nor the majesty
of law be made a mockery by such acts or conduct on the part of the parties
to the litigation or even while appearing as witnesses. [993-D, F, E)
D
13. It would be a great public disaster if the fountain of justice is
allowed to be poisoned by any one resorting to filing of false affidavits or
giving of false statements and fabricating false evidence in a court of law.
The stream of justice has to be kept clear and pure and anyone soiling its
E purity must be dealt with sternly so that the message percolates loud and
clear that no one can be permitted to undermine the dignity of pie conrt
and interfere with the course of judicial proceedings or the administration
of justice. [993-G]

Chandra Shashi v. Anil Kumar Venna, [1995] l SCC 421, relied on.
F •
2.1. Respondents no. 3 to 5 have committed a grave contempt of this
Court by not only interfering with the due course of justice but also making
calculated and deliberate attempts to obstruct the administration of jus·
lice. Their actions in filing false affidavits and denying that the detenues
G had been whisked away and detained illegally in their custody between
15.1.1994 and 17.1.1994 are not only reprehensible and condemnable but
also require to be dealt with rather sternly. [995-D, 994-E]

2.2. It is a matter not only of regret and concern but also causes great
angnish to notice that during the pendency of proceedings in this court,
H respondents nos. 4 and 5 instead of showing any real contriteness and
DHANANJAYSHARMA. v. STATE 969

regret for their wrongful action of filing false affidavits, compounded their A
.:,
offence by tutoring the taxi driver and forcing him to make a false state-
ment and file a fals_e affidavit in this Court. They have aggravated their
contumacious acts and deflected the course of judicial proceedings. Their
action was deliberate, an attempt to over reach the due process of law
without compunction, and an affront to the majesty of law. Both of them
deserve to be punished not only for the wrong done by them but also to
B
give a proper signal and deter others from indulging in similar type of
activities. The interest of public justice demands a deterrent sentence to
·'
., be imposed upon them. [995-A, 994-G, 995-E]

23. However, there is no material on the record to show that respon- c
dent no. 3 was also a party to the tampering of evidence of the taxi driver.
Indeed, he most have been kept informed by his snbordinates but in the
absence of any. positive material on the record, the responsibility for
making the taxi driver to give false evidence in this Court cannot be
fastened on him. [995-G]
D
' 2.4. The belated apologies offered by respondents no. 3 to 5 though
still maintaining that the detenues had not been detained by them, even in
the face of the evidence recorded by the CBI, as Commissioners of this
Court are not apologie• of a truely repentant person but made obvionsly
with a view to escape punishment. Had they been sincere in their apologies E
and had they realised their mistake, there was no reason why respondents
4 and 5 should have subsequently indulged in acts which have the affect
of aggravating their contumacious conduct. Under the circumstances, the
question of accepting their belated apology does not arise. The belated
~
apologies tendered by respondents 3 to 5 which are not genuine, bona fide
or expression of true repentance are rejected. [994-E, F, 995-B, CJ F

2.5. Respondent no. 3 shall suffer simple imprisonment for a period
of two months for committing contempt of court by filing false affidavits
denying the allegations made in the writ petition and in the affidavit of the
advocate. [995-H) G

2.6. Each of respondents no. 4 and 5 shall suffer simple imprison-
ment for a period of three months and shall pay a fine of Rs. 1500 each.
[996-A, BJ
2.7. The taxi driver by making a false statement and filing a false H
970 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.

A affidavit in this court committed a grave contempt of this Court, besides
f-
committing perjury. However, he disclosed the correct fact to the CBI and
reiterated the same subsequently in this Court through his affidavit. He
has tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology. From the report
of the CBI and other material on the record, it is established that the false
B statements made by him in this Court both orally and through his affidavit
were not voluntary and that he was acting under pressure of respondents
4 and 5. It is however no defence to him to say that he so acted on account
of fear of the police and that he bad been 'tutored'. Though be is now
repentant, be cannot be allowed to go scot free for the falsehood indnlged
in by him in this Court and for his attempt to poison the stream of justice.
C However, taking the mitigating circumstances also into consideration, he
is sentenced to one day's simple imprisonment and a line of Rs. 1000 for
committing contempt of this Court. [1000-D to G]

2.8. Neither respondents 6 and 7 nor any of their employees was
present with the police on 15.1.1994 on the Hissar- Delhi road. There is no
D material to show that they are either responsible for the filing of false
affidavits by respondents 3 to 5 or for tampering of evidence during the
pendency of proceedings in this Court. May be respondents 3 to 5, acted in
the objectionable and high-handed manner to way,lay and detain the
detenu and the taxi driver during the investigation of the case FIR No.
E 663/93, registered on the statement or respondent no. 6, to please someone
but this is only in the realm of suspicion and it cannot be said with any
amount of certainty whether it was over-zealousness on the part of respon-
dents 3 to 5 during the investigation of the case or they were trying to prove
themselves 'to be more loyal than the king' or were acting under any
extraneous pressure. But be that as it may, respondents 6 and 7 cannot be
F held responsible for or privy to the actions of respondents 3 to 5; they
cannot be said to have committed any contempt of this Court. The rule
against them is accordingly discharged. [996-E, C, D, Fl

3.1. In view of the mandate of Article 144 of the Constitution, all
G authorities, civil and judicial, in the territory of India are legally obliged
not only to act in aid of the Supreme Court for the enforcement of the law
declared by it but also in aid of all its orders, decrees or directions. [998-C]

3.2.Wbenever a question is raised regarding illegal detention of a
citizen in a writ of habeas corpus and the conrt issues the rnle nisi, a dnty is
H cast on the State through its functionaries and particularly those who are
DHANANJAYSHARMA. v. STATE 971

arrayed as respondents to th_e writ petition to satisfy the court that the A
·) detention of the citizen was legal and in conformity not only with the
mandatory requirements of the law but also with the requirements implicit
in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India. It is obligatory on the part of
the respondent State to place before the Court all relevant facts relating to
the impugned detention truly, clearly and with utmost fairness through an B
affidavit. An affidavit in reply is required to be filed by the respondents not
as a mere formality but to truly assist the court in drawing permissible
inferences from the rival contentions. The State owes an obligation to the
courts to place all relevant facts before the court in all cases where inter-
. "' ference is alleged by a citizen with his fundamental rights.
[996-H, 997-A to CJ C
3.3. Respondents 1 and 2 were, therefore, under a legal obligation to
inform this Court of the facts regarding the alleged deteution of the
detenues since notice had been issued to them in the writ petition. Even
after this Court gave specific directions to respondent no. 1 to file an
affidavit about the steps taken by the State to trace and produce. the D
detenues in the Court, he failed to file the affidavit, and acted in a casual
manner. Complaints regarding detention of citizens cannot be permitted
to be treated in such a casual manner by the State. The manner in which
respondent no. 1 acted even after being apprised of the directions of this
court to file his counter affidavit is disapproved. [997-C, D, 996-G, 997-E]
E
3.4. From a consideration of the material on the record, respondent
no. 1 appears to have followed a faulty system, then prevailing in the State
of Haryana for filing of counter affidavits in petitions for Habeas Co1J1Us.
He stated that he acted on a wrong understanding ·of the import of the
order of this court. There was no scope for not understanding the import F
of this Court's Order dated 19.1.1994 wherein a specific direction bad been
given io respondent no. 1 to file his affidavit. However, the unqualified
apology tendered by him is genuine and an expression of real contriteness
and repentance. Therefore, while cautioning him to be careful in future,
bis unqualified apology is accepted and the contempt proceedings initiated G
against him are dropped. The rule issued against him is discharged. It is
hoped that such lapses shall not occur in the future, since it is stated that
the system has now been revamped. [999-F, ·997.ff, 998-A, 999-G]

3.5. Respondent no. 2 has also filed two affidavits and in each one of
them he has explained the steps taken by him after he was apprised of the H
972 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.

A pendency of the writ petition in this Court. He has corroboflltedthe version
given by Respondent no. 1 in his affidavit. After giving the explanation, he /

has also tendered an unqualified apology. It appears that be is also truly
respondent for the lapses committed by him and the unqualified apology
tendered by him is genuine and bonafide and not made with a view to escape
punishment. Unqualified apology tendered by respondent no. 2 is, there-
B fore, accepted and the rule against him is discharged while warning him to
be careful and not to be casual in such like matters in future. [1000-B, CJ

4. Since the respondents 3 to 5 and the taxi driver have been held
guilty of and punished for committing contempt of this Court, the proceed-
C ings are dropped is so far as commission of perjury is concerned. (1001-D)

4.1. The State is responsible for unlawful acts of its officers and it
must repair the damage done to the citizens by its officers for violating
their indefeasible fundamental right of personal liberty without any
authority of law. (1001-A]
D
4.2. From the report of the CBI and the evidence recorded by it, it
is established that the detenues had been illegally detained by respondents
3 to 5 from the afternoon of 15.1.1994 to 17.1.1994 and Court would have
been inclined to direct the State of Haryana to compensate the detenues;
E but since one of them has indulged in falsehood in this court and the other
bas exaggerated the incident by stating that on 15.1.1994 when be was
waylaid aloagwith two others, two employees of respondents 6 and 7 were
also present with the police party, a version not·found to be correct by the
CBI, they both have disentitled themselves from receiving any compensa-
tion as monetary amends for the wrong done by respondents 3 to 5 in
F detaining them. [1000-H, 1001-A to CJ

Per Faizan Uddin, J (Concurring) :

1.1. Our policing system in recent times is not as effective as it ought
G to be and require some practical correctional steps and measures. The
primary duties and functions of the members of the police force are to
prevent and detect crime, to protect the life, property and liberty of the
citizens and at the same time obey the orders issued to them by competent
authorities in this regard. [1002-D, A, BJ

H 1.2. In the instant case, the police officers totally misdirected themsel-
DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE [DR. ANAND,J.] 973

ves by not allowing the ·truth to come out before this Court. They had the A
audacity to make false affidavits in the apex court to cover up their illegal
acts. It is perhaps one of the most unpleasant episodes in the history or the
force which has been exposed in the portals or the highest court or the land
which has plunged the members or the force and its reputation to a new low
probably out or a frenic zeal to please someone, best known to the officials B
concerned. It is a matter or concern that even senior police officials of the
status or SP and DSP should not realise their obligations to the courts and
indulge in blatant falsehood with a view to mislead the Court. This attitude
on their part is strongly condemned. The Court expects condour and frank-
ness from the parties to the litigation before it. Court proceedings cannot be
allowed to be triffied with. (1002-F, G, 1001-G, 1003-E] c
1.3. Respondents 3 to 5 acted in most irresponsible manner. They
acted with gross impropriety and intentionally committed serious and
grievous wrong of clearly unredeeming nature. In the circumstances, they
do deserve the punishment awarded to them to serve as a deterrent to
others in future. (10003-C, D, El D
CRIMINAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (Crl.) No.
15 of 1994.

(Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.)
E
P.P. Malhotra, Gopal Subramanium, R.K. Jain, N. Natrajan, G.
Ramaswamy, S.S. Gandhi, N.K. Sharma, Ms. Indu Malhotra, Ms. Nisha
Bagchi, Anil K. Makhija, Mahinder Singh, Pankaj Kalra, N.M. Popli, Smt.
Lalitha Kaushik, Naresh Kaushik, Shankar Divate, R.K. Gupta, Prem Mal-
hotra, K.K. Lahiri, Ms. M. Karanjawala, Ms. Nandioi Gore, R. Karan- F
jawala, Ms. Ruby Ahuja for the Appearing Parties.

Ranjit Kumar for Driver Sushi! Kumar.

The Judgment of the Court were delivered by

DR. ANAND, J. On 17.1.1994, Shri Parasmal Rampuria of C.R. G
Industries Limited filed a petition seeking issuance of a writ of habeas
corpus for the release of Dhananjay Sharma from illegal and unauthorised
custody of the Haryana Police and for his production in Court. It b alleged
in the writ petition that on account of some civil disputes between M/s.
Bhanu Iron ~nd Steel Company Limited (in short BISCL) of New Delhi, H
974 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.

A with a factory at Inrode, which is owned by Respondent No. 7, Shri Anoop
Bishnoi, son-in-law of Shri Bhajan Lal, Chief Minister of Haryana and M/s.
f'
C.R. Industries Limited, a case under Sections 406/420 !PC was got
registered by Respondent No. 6 Shri S.K. Kaushik, the Commercial
Manager of BISCL, being FIR No. 663/93 at Police Station Sadar, Hissar
against Shri Pradeep Rampuria and others. On 17.1.1994, a team of police
B party, headed by Additional Superintendent of Police, Hissar Shri Sham
Lal Goel, respondent No. 4, went to the residence of Shri Pradeep Ram-
puria at Diamond Harbour Road, Calcutta, to arrest Shri Pradeep Ram-
'
puria, on the authority of non-bailable warrants of arrest issued against him
by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Hissar. Shri Pradeep Ram-
C puria was arrested and on 7.1.1994 itself produced before the Chief Judicial
Magistrate, Alipore, Calcutta, who released him on bail till 15.1.1994, with
a direction to appear before the competent court at Hissar. On 15.1.1994
Shri Dhananjay Sharma, the detenu, who is an employee of M/s. Golden
Industries, a sister concern of M/s. CR Industries Limited, along with Shri
D S.C. Puri, advocate went to Hissar in a taxi (van) bearing registration no.
DAE-3668 driven by Sushi! Kumar. They appeared in the court of the
Addi. CJM Hissar and filed an application seeking exemption from por-
sonal appearance of Shri Pradeep Rampuria on medical grounds. After
filing the application and obtaining the next date from the court, the
detenu, Shri Dhananjay Sharma along with his lawyer Shri S.C. Puri, left
E for Delhi in the same taxi car (van) driven by Sushi! Kumar. A team of
Haryana police officers, riding in six police Gypsy jeeps, way-laid them on
Hissar-Delhi road and while, after some arguments Shri S.C. Puri, Advo-
cate, was allowed to go, the detenu and Sushi! Kumar alongwith the taxi
car were whisked away by the personnel on 15.1.94 and were being illegally
F detained by the Haryana Police and their whereabouts were not known and
that they had not returned to Delhi. Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate filed on •
affidavit in support of the writ petition, wherein it was inter a/ia stated:

'That after obtaining the date, the depon~nt came to his car waiting
outside the court premises and advised Mr. Danjay Sharma to
G direct the driver to take us back immediately to Delhi.

That we hardly travelled one or two kilometers that a number
of fully armed police gypsies of Haryana Police appeared at the
site and surrounded the Maruti Van in which we were travelling.
H One of the police officers ordered the driver to show him the
DHANANJAY SHARMA v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.] 975

papers relating to the vehicle which were handed over to him by A
~- the driver. The deponent immediately came down from the van.
However, Mr. Sharma and the driver wore not allowed to come
out of the van and remained surrounded by the folly armed Police
Officers. They also wanted the deponent to sit in the Maruti Van
or even in their own vehicle to which the deponent resisted strong- B
ly. On persistent enquiries from the deponent, one of the police
officers had a talk with some of his superiors on wireless set and
after completing the conversation, Mr. Dhanjay Sharma and the
driver of the said vehicle were taken away by the Armed Police
Squad towards city side leaving the deponent on the road. The C
deponent boarded a three-wheeler and came to a nearby market.
The deponent ~ontacted Shri P .P. Malhotra, Senior Advocate and
narrated him the whole incident from a shop having STD facility.
Thereafter, the deponent boarded a bus and reached Delhi at
about 4.30 p.m."
D
On 18.1.1994 after perusing the affidavit of Shri S.C. Puri and the
writ petition, this Court issued notice to the respondents. Miss Indu
Malhotra, Advocate, Standing Counsel for the State of Haryana, accepted
the notice on behalf of respondents 1 to 5. Copies of the petition and the
affidavit had already been handed- over to her by the learned counsel for E
the petitioner. A direction was issued by us· to respondent No. 3 to produce
the detenu Dhananjay Sharma and the taxi driver Sushi! Kumar, .if in
detention, in this Court on 19.1.1994. Respondents 3 to 5 were also directed
to file an affidavit indicating the circumstances under which they took the
detenu and the driver of the taxi car, Sushi! Kumar, into custody, as alleged
in the petition and in the affidavit of Shri S.C. Puri. Notices by ordinary F
means were issued to respondents 6 and 7. On 19.1.1994 respondents 3 to
5 filed their affidavits. Shri Sham Lal Goel, Addi. Superintendent of Police,
Hissar respondent No. 4 in his affidavit denied the allegatiol\S made in the
writ petition as well as in the affidavit of Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate. In para
1 of the affidavit he stated: G

-} "That in reply to para No. 1 of the petition it is submitted that
neither of the alleged detenues, namely, Shri Dhananjay Sharma
or Shri Sushi! are/were wanted in any case of Hissar District, nor
they were over detained or confined by any police officer/official H
976 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) 3 S.C.R.

A as alleged. It is also wrong and hence denied that the said alleged
detenues are or over were in the unlawful, illegal and unauthorised
~ustody cf the official respondents, as alleged."

In paras 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 13, 14 and 15 (there are no paragraphs
numbered as 5 to 8) the details of the case leading to the registration of
B the FIR against Shri Rampuria and others and the investigation of the case,
registered on the statement of S.K. Kaushik, respondent No. 6 were given.
It was asserted that the dispute between the parties was not of a civil
nature. In para 12 it was admitted that an Advocate had appeared in the
court of Addi. OM, Hissar on 15.1.1994 and had filed an application for
C exemption from personal appearance of Shri Pradeep Rampuria and that
the court had adjourned the case to 12.2.1994. Rest of the allegations were
denied.

Shri Rajinder Singh Inspector, SHO, Police Station Sadar Hissar,
D respondent No. 5, in his affidavit stated that he had been wrongly impli-
cated in the petition and asserted that the incident as alleged in the writ
petition never took place. He went on to say :

"I submit that on the rel~vant date i.e. 15th Jan., 1994 I was present
on duty in the Court of the Addl OM in the morning at about 11
E a.m. and remained in the court premises till late afternoon ..On the
said date the deponent was present in court when the application
was filed on behalf of Shri Pradeep Rampuria. The deponent also
submitted an Application for the issuance of fresh warrants against
Shri Paras Mal Rampuria & Shri Mukharjee since the earlier
F warrants were only valid till 15.1.1994. At the time of presentation
of the application the learned Magistrate directed that photocopies
of the FIR & other relevant documents be also filed alongwith the
application. Consequently after the departure of the petitioner &
his Advocate, the deponent remained within the court premises to
prepare the photocopies which were thereafter submitted to the
G court of the learned Magistrate on the same day. Thereafter the
deponent also went to the office of the Asst!. District Attorney in
connection with the scrutinising of certain challans. It is conse-
quently submitted that the deponent could not be involved in the
incident as alleged in the writ petition nor does he have any
H knowledge that any other police officer working in the Sadar Hissar
1\

DHANANJAY SHARMA v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.] 977

Police Station has indulged in such activity." A
Respondent No. 3, Shri Anil Davra JPS, Superintendent of Police, in
his affidavit asserted:

"That in reply to para No. 1 of the petition it is submitted that
neither of the alleged detenues namely Shri Dhananjay Sharma or B
Sushi! are/were wanted in any case of Hissar District, nor they
were ever detained or confined by any police officer/official as
alleged. It is also wrong & hence denied that the said alleged
detenues are or ever were in the unlawful, illegal and unauthorised
custody of the official respondents, as alleged." C

Thereafter, respondent No. 3 referred to the investigation in connec-
tion with the FIR registered at the instance of respondent No. 6 Shri S.K.
Kaushik and maintained that the dispute between the parties was not of a
civil nature and went on to say:
D
"It is submitted that the petitioner has levelled these false allega-
tions. against the Hissar Police with ulterior motives in order to
win the sympathy of this Hon'ble Court. In fact the deponent or
any other police officer working nnder his command have never
resorted to any such illegal activities as alleged by the petitioner E
in this para. The deponent is a staunch believer of rule of law and
as such he cannot over think of flouting the rule of law. As already
submitted in the proceeding paras of this affidavit neither Sri
Dhananjay Sharma nor taxi driver Shri Sushi! was ever wanted by
the Hissar Police in any criminal case or were they over whisked
away by the police personnel of Hissar Police with the help of any F
police gypsy as alleged."

Thus, respondents 3 to 5 in their affidavits denied the allegations
levelled against Haryana Police with regard to the whiskill!\ ·away of
Dhananjay Sharma and driver Sushi! Kumar on 15.1.94 and their sub-
sequent detention, thereby refuting the assertions made in the affidavit of G
Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate, and the petitioner. Since the allegations made by
Shri Puri, Advocate, were of a serious nature and if true they disclosed a
rather disquitening state of affairs, on 19.1.1994, before proceeding further
in the matter, we deemed it proper and necessary, in the first instance, to
direct the Home Secretary, Government of Haryana, respondent No. 1, H
978 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995] 3 S.C.R.

A through his learned Advocate Shri Kapil Sibal, to have a search made for
the detenues Dhananjay Sharma and the taxi driver Sushi! Kumar and have
them produced in this Court. In the course of our order, we said :

"The Home Secretary, Government of Haryana, may if he finds it
necessary take assistance from the Delhi Police, and on such
B request being made the Commissioner of Police, Delhi shall afford
all assistance to him. We are issuing the directions in the name of
the Home Secretary, Government of Haryana, to avoid any pos-
sibiliiy of a plea being raised that respondents No. 3 to 5 are unable
to trace out the taxi or the peti(ioner and Sushi! not hailing from
c areas falling within their jurisdiction in Hissar.

We expect that the needful shall be done and all efforts shall
be made to produce Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Shri Sushi!
Kumar in this Court tomorrow. An affidavit disclosing from where
they have been brought and the whereabouts of the taxi as men-
D tioned above shall also be filed on behalf of Respondent No. 1."

On 20.1.1994, inspite of our specific directions (supra) no affidavit
was filed by the Home Secretary, respondent No. 1. However, one more
affidavit was filed by Shri Anil Davra, Superintendent of Police, respondent
E No. 3, "on behalf of respondent Nos. 1 to. In the said affidavit it was stated
that respondents 3 to 5 with the help of Delhi Police had been able to
identify the taxi stand form where taxi No. DEA-3668 operated and that
they were also able to ascertain the whereabouts of driver Sushi! Kumar
and had contacted him. Respondent No. 3 further deposed:

F "On enquiries from said taxi driver Shri Sushi! Kumar the Delhi
Police were told that he returned to Delhi alongwith Shri Dhanan-
jay Sharma from Hissar on 15th January 1994 itself and left them
at Daryaganj, New Delhi. The Incharge of the Police Post, Church
Mission Road, S.I. Surender Kumar, has assured the presence of
said Shri Sushi! and the concerned vehicle in the court premises
G today.

Further I submit that the respondents are still making efforts
to trace Shri Dhananjay Sharma but as yet has no information of
his whereabout specially since the police does not have any means
H of identifying him."
DHANANJAY SHARMA v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.] 979

On 20.1.94, Shri Sushi! Kumar was produced by the Delhi Police and A
the detenu Shri Dhananjay Sharma on his own also appeared in the Court.
Their statements were recorded on oath.

Shri Dhananjay Sharma in his statement deposed about the manner
in which he had been way-laid, along with others and whisked away by the
Haryana Police form the Delhi-Hissar Road on 15.1.94. He then stated 1hat B.
the police party took him and Sushi! Kumar to the Hissar Police Station
where Shri Anil Davra, called them to his room and made enquiries from
him regarding the case against Shri Rampuria and others. He further stated
that whereas they were kept during the day at the police station on
Saturday, during the night intervening Saturday and Sunday, they (Sushi! C
Kumar and himselt) were kept in a police 'residential quarter' behind the
police station. They were let off on 17.1.1994 at about 6 or 6.30 p.m. and
the taxi car was also released. They left Hissar at about 7.30 p.m. and
arrived at Delhi at about 11.30 p.m. on 17.1.94. He further stated that the
police officers at Hissar had told him before leaving the police station that D
Shri G.R. Rampuria be told to meet and talk to the police officers; at
Hissar. He went on to say that while in the police custody at Hissar, under
instructions of Shri Davra, they were provided with food. He went on to
depose that since some personnel of Delhi Police had visited his residence
the previous evening and had met his sister, leaving directions for him to
appear in the court, he had come to the court on his own. E

Shri Sushi! Kumar taxi driver, in his statement in the court however,
gave a totally different version. He admitted that on 15.1.94, he had gone
to Hissar alongwith Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Shri. S.C. Puri in his taxi
to the court of Addi. CJM at Hissar. He then stated that after leaving the F
court premises, at about 12.00 or 1.00, in the afternoon on 15.1.94, all of
them returned to old Delhi, reaching there at about "7 ·p.m. on 15.1.1994
itself. He denied that he or Shri Dhananjay Sharma were either whisked
away or kept in illegal detention by the Hissar Police,. as alleged in the
petition and in the affidavit of'Shri SC Puri, Advocate. He further stated
that the Hissar Police had contacted him at the taxi stand and that the G
Delhi Police hac;l directed him to appear in the court and that he ha~ been
brought to the court from the taxi stand by sub-inspector, Surinder Kumar,
of Delhi Police.

After recording the statements of M/s. Dhananjay Sharma and Sushi! H
980 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.

A Kumar and going through the affidavits filed by the parties, we found that
two diametrically opposite versions had been given and that the truth had
not come out and that either of the two versions was false. Both Sushi!
Kumar and Shri Dhananjay Sharma also filed their affidavits on 22.1.1994.
In his affidavit while Shri Sushi! Kumar reiterated the statement made by
him in Court, Shri Dhananjay Sharma, reiterated his case as disclosed by
B him in his statement in the Court. He further deposed in the affidavit that
when they were whisked away, the police party, was accompanied by 'two
employees of BISCL, Hissar" and that at the Hissar Police Station. Shri
Anil Davra Superintendent of Police alongwith Shri Rajinder Singh SHO
and other police officials had questioned him and repeatediy enquired
C from him about the whereabouts of Shri Pradeep Rampuna. He· went on
to say that on 17.1.94, when both he and the driver, were in the room of
the SHO Hissar, there was a lot of activity and "we were directed to leave
the police station immediately at about 6.30 p.m."

D Respondent No. 6, Shri S.K. Kaushik and Respondent No. 7, Shri
Anoop Bishnoi, who appeared through their counsel, were given an oppor-
tunity to file their affidavits in view of the assertions made in the affidavit
of Shri Dhananjay Sharma on 22.1.94. Both Shri S.K. Kaushik Respondent
No. 6 and Shri Anoop Bishnoi Respondent No. 7 filed their affidavits,
Apart from dealing with the dispute between BISCL and M/s. CR In-
E dustries in general and with Shri Pradeep Rampuria in particular, (with
which case we are not concerned at this stage) it is stated in their affidavits
that Shri Dhananjay Sharma or the taxi driver Sushi! Kumar were never in
their custody and that they had no knowledge about the allegations made
in the petition with regard to the incident of 15.1.94. Both Respondent Nos.
F 6 and 7 further stated that they could say with some amount of respon-
sibility, after making enquiries from their staff, that neither the respondents
nor any of the employees of their company were present in the court or at
the alleged site along with police on the Hissar-Delhi Road on 15.1.94 as
alleged.

G On 1.2.94 after scrutinising the affidavits on the record and the
statements of Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Shri Sushi! Kumar we found that
it was not possible to reconcile the two versions. We felt that it was a matter
of concern that in the Highest Court of the land, fabe version by way of
affidavits or statements had been made. In our order dated 1.2.94, we
H observed:
DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.) 981

"Tho~gh the petition for Habeas Corpus under Article 32 of the A
Constitution of India, in the facts and circumstances of the case
which have come on record, does not survive, as at the time of the
return, the detenu was not, on his own showing under any illegal
detention and technically, therefore, the writ petition does not
survive but keeping in view the developments which have taken
place during the proceedings of this case, we cannot let the matters
B
rest there ........

The matter requires to be taken to the logical conclusion. In
the womb of every conclusion lies the seed of detection. We have
to get the truth detected which lies buried somewhere under the C
debris of falsehood in this case. Before we proceed further in this
matter, it appears appropriate to us that we should have this matter
enquired into and get a report as to which of the two versions,
above mentioned, is prima facie correct."

We, accordingly, directed the CBI to have the matter enquired into D
under the supervision of an officer, not below the rank of Superintendent
of Police, and submit a report to this Court within seven weeks. We
directed that the CBI shall confine the enquiry and its report to find out
as to which of the two versions regarding the alleged incident of 15.1.94 on
the Hissar- Delhi Road and the subsequent detention of the detenu and E
Sushi! Kumar was correct. We clarified that the CBI would not be required
to go into the truthfulness or merits of the criminal case arising out of FIR
No. 663/93, Police Station Sadar Hissar but shall restrict its enquiry to the
determination of the correctness of the two versions as noticed above.

In obedience to our directions, the CBI conduced an enquiry, F
recorded evidence, and submitted its report under the. signatures of Shri
M.L. Sharma, DIC, CBI. Copies of the report and other documents were
permitted to be obtained by the parties.

The CBI inter alia in its report submitted :
G
"Based on the facts and evidence discussed above, the picture
emerges that on 15.1.1994, Shri Dhananjay Sharma while travelling
back to Delhi after attending the Court of ACJM, Hissar,
alongwith Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate, in Taxi No. DAE-3668 (maruti
van) driven by Shri Sushi! Kumar, was intercepted by Haryana H
982 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) 3 S.C.R.

A Police near Hissar Cantt., at about 12.30 p.m. Shri S.C. Puri,
Advocate, was let off by the Police after 'arguments'. Shri Dhanan-
jay Sharma alongwith Sushi) Kumar were taken to Police Station,
Sadar and confined there in a quarter behind the Police Station
from 15th January, 1994 to 17th January, 1994 afternoon. This is
borne out by the statements of Dhananjay Sharma, Sushi! Kumar
B and SC Puri, Advocate. Shri Puri after being let off by the Police,
made a call to Shri P.P. Malhotra, Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court
of India, New Delhi from a PCO Tel. No. 63318 and thereafter
came back to Delhi by bus. This finds support form the printout • •
of PCO No. 63318 as also from the Ticket No. 68648 DN/6-93
c which he has produced in the course of enquiry. The plea of
ignorance about the incident by Shri Anil Davra, SSP, Hissar, Shri
Sham Lal Goel, Addi. SP. Hissar and Shri Rajinder Singh, SHO,
PS Sadar, Hissar, ex facie does not appear to be correct. The
aforesaid three officers have taken special interest in the investiga-
tion of case FIR No. 663/93, registered at PS Sadar, Hissar ......... .
D
The CBI then concluded :

"According to the enquiry conducted by the CBI, the version given
by Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Shri SC Puri, Advocate, in the
E Supreme Court is primafacie correct. Shri Sushi/ Kumar, Taxi Driver,
has corroborated this version in his statement made to the CBI.
Other evidence viz. telephone call by Shri Puri, Advocate on
15.1.94, Bus ticket produced by him, Statement of taxi owner Nazir
Hussain, the sketch map drawn by Shri Dhananjay Sharma cor-
roborates the version submitted by them to the Hon'ble Supreme
F Court." (emphasis supplied)

The report of the CBI was accepted by the Court, after hearing
learned counsel for the parties.
-
G The report of the CBI, clearly indicates that the version given by
respondents 3 to 5 and Shri Sushi! Kumar in his first affidavit and in his
deposition in this Court is palpably false. The description of the place of
detention i.e. the malkhana of the Police Station, and identification of the
constables who were guarding the detenues at the police station, by the
detenu has satisfied us that the version given by Shri Dhananjay Sharma
H regarding his illegal detention is correct. The evidence collected by the CBI
DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.] 983

unmistakably supports the version contained in the affid<>vit of Shri Puri, A
Advocate. These three respondents denied the allegations made by
Dhananjay Sharma, Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate and the petitioner in the writ
petition. It is interesting to note that Shri Anil Davra, respondent No. 3 in
his affidavit desposed that he had "examined the records of Police Station
Hissar" to find out about the correctness of allegations of detention and
came to know that the said allegations were false. Since, the detenu and B
Sushi! Kumar, taxi driver had been illegally detained at the police station
no record could have revealed their detention. Therefore, the ex"rcise
conducted by Shri Anil Davra respondent No. 3 of examining the record
of the police station was obviously a comaflogue and a cover up. That apart,
neither Shri Anil Davra nor Shri Sham Lal goel or Shri Rajinder Singh C
stated in their affidavits that Dhananjay Sharma had not been called to the
office of Shri Anil Davra, respondent No. 3 during the detention of
Dhananjay Sharma and the taxi driver nor did respondent No. ·3 refute the
allegations of Dhananjay Sharma that when he was released form custody
he was advised to tell Shri Rampuria to meet the police officials. None of
the respondents in the counter affidavit have even stated that they had not D
seen the detenu in the police station between 15.1.1994 to 17.1.1994. 'fhey
have remained silent on this aspect. Nothing has been brought to our notice
from which the correctness of the contents of the affidavit of Shri Puri or
Dhananjay Sharma about the illegal detention may be doubted. From a
critical analysis of the material collected by the CBI, as Commissioners ·of
this Court, and hearing learned counsel for the parties, w_e are of the E
opinion, that Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Sushi! Kumar Taxi Driver were
way laid on 15.1.94 on the Hissar Delhi Road which they were returning
to Delhi in the taxi along with Shri SC Puri, Advocate and while Shri Puri
was let off after some arguments with the police personnel, the detenu and
Sushi! Kumar taxi driver were illegally detained by respondent 3 to 5 at the F
Hissar Police Station till 17.1.94. The counters filed by respondents 3 to 5
denying the allegations made by the petitioner and in the affidavit of Shri
S.C. Puri are palpably false and incorrect.

The CBI examined Shri Surinder Kumar SJ., Incharge Police Post
Fatehpuri, PS Lahori Gate on 7.4.94, who stated before the CBI that after G
receiving !' wireless message from the North District Control Room for
immediate search of Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Shri Sushi! Kumar, he
made efforts to locate them. He located Shri Sushi! Kumar along with
vehicle No. DAE-3668 and brought him to Police Outpost Fatehpuri. The
information was passed on to his senior officers as well as to the SSP Hissar H
984 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995] 3 S.C.R.

A camping at Haryana Bhavan. Shri Surinder Kumar SI f~rther told the CBI
that at about 8.30 p.m. on 19.1.94 Shri S.L. Goel Addi. S.P. Hissar along
with Rajinder Singh SHO Police Station Sadar, Hissar, reached police-
post and made inquiries from Sushi! Kumar separately. They took away
Sushi! Kumar along with the taxi for producing him in the Supreme Court.
Shri Surinder Kumar SI informed his senior officers about it and also made
B an entry to this effect in the Roznamacha of the Police Station vide Entry
No. 22 at 10.10 p.m. on 19.1.94. The Roznamacha entry was checked by
the CBI and it tallied with the statement made by Shri Surinder Kumar SI,
who also stated before the CBI that on 20.1.94 Shri Sushi! Kumar reported ./ .
to him at the Police-post Church Mission Road and he produced him in
C the Supreme Court and that Shri Rajinder Singh SHO had met Sushi!
Kumar in the outpost on 20th morning also. According to the statement of
Shri Sushi! Kumar, taxi driver, before the CBI, respondents 4 and 5 had
pressurised him to make a false statement in this Court and deny the
allegations contained in the petition and in the affidavit of Shri S.C. Puri,
D Advocate, and that he had acted accordingly for fear of the Haryana
Police.

The CBI in its report dealt with this aspect of the matter and stated:

"From the enquiry, it also eme'1ies that Sushi/ Kumar, Driver of
E Taxi No. DAE-3668 was contacted by the Haryana Police and briefed
by them to make a false statement in the Supreme Court oh 20.1.1994
denying the incident of way-laying of 15.1.94. Shri Sushi! Kumar,
originally hailing form U.P. is semi-literate and simple person who
has been living in Delhi for the last 6/7 years for making a living.
Because of the inconsistent posture adopted by him, he was cau-
F tioned to make a correct statement before the CBI. He was firm
that he was making a correct statement before the CBI and regrets
having made a false statement in the Supreme Court earlier on the
-.
advice of Haryana Police. He also agreed to have his statement
taperecorded in presence of independent witnesses. This lends
assurance to the conclusion that the statement being made by him
G now is a correct version of facts and this finds corroboration in
the statement of Dhananjay Sharma and Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate.
Shri Puri, Advocate, is a professional and despite the fact of his I
having been engaged by the petitioner in the impugned criminal
case, he appears to have no axe to grid with any party and as such
H there appears to be no reason for his making a false statement
DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.] 985

before the Supreme Court and the CBI. In fact, his version finds A
support from the statement of Shri P.P. Malhotra, Sr. Advo-
cate ................... .

However, the version of Shri Dhananjay Sharma that Shri
Ishwar Singhal and Shri S.K. Kaushik of M/s. Bhanu Iron and Steel
Co. Ltd., were present on 15.1.94 at the time of his way-laying B
seems to be suspect. n

We are of the opinion that the findings of the CBI as noticed above
are based upon proper appreciation of evidence and are supported by the
material on the record. Since, prima facie, we found that respondents 3 to C
5 and Shri Sushi! Kumar, taxi driver have made false statements and filed
false affidavits in this court and have thus committed the offence of perjury,
·therefore with a view to eradicate the evil of perjury, we put them on notice
to show cause as to why they should not be prosecuted for the said offence
in a competent court.
D
As already noticed the affidavit filed by respondent No. 3 on 20.1.94
had been filed "on behalf of respondents 1 to 5". That affidavit as per the
report of the CBI and our finding has been found to be false. Respondent
No. 1, despite the directions issued by this Court on 19.1.94, had not filed
any affidavit. Notices were, therefore, issued to respondents 1 to 5 and Shri E
Sushi! Kumar also to show cause why they should not be punished for
having committed contempt of this Court.

Shri Rajinder Singh Yadav SHO respondent No. 5 in his reply to the
show cause notice in the contempt proceedings tendered an unconditional
and unqualified apology and further deposed : F

"In vi.ew of what I have stated above, while in no way seeking to
diminish my role in the events that have transpired so far, I submit
that I have only acted as a diligent subordinate officer of the Haryana
Police Department. I unequivocally apologise to this Hon'ble Court G
for my mistakes and seek leniency and pardon and pray that no
further action be taken against me. I undertake to this Hon'ble Court
that I shall in future be very careful and cautious and ensure that
such events do not recur in my professional life."

It is, thus, seen that respondent No. 5 has taken shelter under the H
)

986 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995) 3 S.C.R.

A plea that he had "only acted as a diligent subordinate officer of the Haryana
Police". Shri Anil Davra SSP, respondent No. 3 who possesses the degrees
of LL.B. and LL.M. from the Delhi University and had practised law for
about four years before joining the service, in response to the show cause
notice in the contempt proceedings also tendered an unqualified apology.
B He gave an account of his duties during his service career and filed copies
of various commendation and appreciation certificates received by him
from various quarters. He then went on to say that "the instant case, in my
humble submission:

"is just an inadvert mishap of my life resulting into present unsavory
C situation".

Respondent No. 4 Sham Lal Goel, Additional Superintendent of
Police in his affidavit filed on 21.10.1994 in the contempt proceedings first
assorted that his role in the investigation of the case was restricted to a
D period of six days only i.e. from 4.1.1994 to 9.1.1994 and that the Superin-
tendent of Police, Shri Anil Davra, was concerned with the investigation
and being his superior officer, he had acted under his directions. He then
again stated that "the answering respondent was not connected with the
incidents of way laid (sic) and detaining of Sushi! Kumar or Dhananjay
Sharma in any manner", and that he had no hand in the filing of the
E affidavit by Respondent No. 3 on 20.1.94. He went on to add:

"On 18.1.94 the answering respondent received a message, to
contact Shri Anil Dawra, Superintendent Police of Haryana
Bhawan in New Delhi in respect of a Supreme Court case. On this
p the answering respondent rushed to Delhi and came to know at
Haryana Bhawan that Shri Anil Dawra is with the standing counsel,
Smt. lndu Malhotra at her residence. The answering respondent
thereafter went to the residence-cum-office of Smt. Indu Malhotra
in the evening where Shri Anil Dawra and Rajinder Singh were
present. Shri Anil Dawra apprises, the answering respondent about
G the writ petition in the Supreme Court and instructed him to sign
an affidavit, which had already been prepared by the counsel on
the instructions of Shri Anil Dawra. Shri Anil Dawra, the Super-
intendent of Police said to the answering respondent that he had
already verified the facts regarding the writ petition on 17.1.94 by
H personally visiting the Police Station Sadar Hissar and making
DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE [DR. ANAND, J.] 987

enquiries from Thana Staff. The answering respondent was told A
that his affidavit has also been prepared on the basis of the
aforesaid enquiry. It may be noted that this fact is borne out by
the statement of Shri Anil Dawra to the CBI. This fact is also
written by Shri Anil Dawra in Daily Diary 26 dated 17.1.94 in police
station Sadar Hissar in his own hand. The answering respondent
therefore signed this affidavit of his on the assurance of· the B.
correctness of the facts by Shri Anil Dawra and Shri Rajinder
Singh. The answering respondent had perused the concerned
papers and the case diaries shown to him by Shri Rajinder Singh."

Shri A.N. Mathur, !AS, Commissioner and Secretary to Government C
of Haryana, Home Department, respondent No. 1 in response to the notice
in the contempt proceedings filed his affidavit on 21.10.94 in which he
expressed his regret and tendered an unqualified apology for all that had
transpired in this Court in this case. He thereafter proceeded to give an
explanation "for the purpose of showing t!:tat if any lapse has occurred, it D
could either be on account of a bonafide misunderstanding or on account
of deficiencies in the system which are being rectified to ensure that they
do not recur". Respondent No. 1 then stated that the order of the Court
dated 19.1.94 was received by him by Fax for the first time on 20.1.94 and
that he had then contested Shri Kalyan Rudra, the then Director General
of Police, Haryana, and discussed the matter with him on telephone. He E
also wrote a D.O. letter to Shri Rudra arid that after 20.1.94, he had asked
the Legal Department and the senior counsel as to whether any further
action was required to be taken by him and in particular whether in view
of the fact that the detenues had appeared before the.court on 20.1.94, any
affidavit was required to be filed by him and that he was "advised by senior F
counsel that on his reading of the order no affidavit needed to be filed by
him as the State had not produced the detenues". Respondent No. 1 .then
explained the procedure which was being followed by the State of Haryana
in connection with petitions for habeas corpus and stated that :

"Although the State of Haryana is irnpleaded in criminal writs in G
the name of Home Secretary, the practice so far has been. that in
matter which are directly within the ·knowledge of the local police,
it is they who depose an affidavit on behalf of the State. The system
was evolved since it obviates a lot of delay which would necessarily
occur in information being passed from one centre to another. It H
988 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995]3 S.C.R.
- I

A is for this reason that the officers directly dealing, with the matter
and who are themselves a part of the law enforcement agency
directly depose about the facts in their direct knowledge. Keeping
in view the facts which have transpired in the present case, it has
now been decided to create an independent cell at the police
headquarters in Chandigarh as well as in the Home Department
B (who would report to the Home Secretary) to monitor all cases
where writs of habeas corpus are sought by citizens either from the
l:ligh Court or from this Hon'ble Court."

Shri Kalyan Rudra, !PS, the then Director General of Police, respon- ·1
C dent No. 2, in his affidavit filed on 20.10.94 in response to the show cause
notice after tendering his unconditional apology corroborated the aver-
ments contained in the affidavit filed by respondent No. 1 in all material
particulars. Both the affidavits were, however, silent about the contents of
the affidavit filed by respondent No. 3 "on behalf of respondents 1 to 5" on
20.1.94. Both respondents 1 and 2 were directed by us to explai,n their stand
D vis-a-vis the contents of the affidavit filed by Shri Davra, respondent No. 3
on 20.1.94 on behalf of respondents 1 to 5, which has been found by us to
be incorrect.

Further affidavits were therefore filed by both, respondents 1 and 2;
E to explain their position vis-a-vis the affidavit filed by respondent No. 3 on
20.1.94 on behalf of "respondents 1to5". In his affidavit Shri AN. Mathur,
respondent No. 1, stated that he had not seen the affidavit of Shri Anil
Dawra dated 20.1.94, before the same had been filed in this Coult and that
he came to know about the said affidavit subsquenlty and saw the copy of
the affidavit for the first time only on 21.1.94. He went on to state that after
F going through that affidavit, which he had no occasion to see before it was
filed as well as perusing the report and the evidence marshalled by the CBI
he had no reason to differ from the opinion given by the CBI, and went on
to specifically say :

"As regards that part of the affidavit where Anil Dawra has
G suggested that Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Shri Sushi! Kumar were
not in the custody of the Haryana Police, the CBI has prima facie
for otherwise and I have 110 reason to differ fomi the view expressed
by the CBI."

H Shri Kalyan Rudra, !PS, respondent No. 2 also in his additional
DHANANJAY SHARMA. v. STATE [DR. ANAND. J.] 989

affidavit besides once again tendering unqualified apology stated that he A
had not seen the affidavit of Sl11i Anil Dawra before it was filed in this Cowt
on 20.1.94 and that it was only upon a request made by him, that the copy
of the affidavit was later on sent to him at Chandigarh. He then went on
to refer to some of the evidence recorded by the CBI and its report and
stated :
B
"I am to state that I have not conduced any enquiry, nor examined
any witnesses or documents, in this ·case./ have, however, no reason
whatsoever to differ from the prima facie conclusions arrived at by
the CBI on the basis of the oral and documentary evidence mar-
shalled by them." C

Respondent No. 2 thereafter dealt specifically with the statement
made by Shri Dawra in his affidavit dated 19.1.94 and 20.1.94 denying the
allegations made in the petition and deposed:

) "The CBI enquiries on the other hand have shown that this version D
does not appear to be correct. I would, therefore, respectfully submit
that this part of the affidavit of Shri Dawra, which is conlFary to facts
found through examination of witnesses and other enquiries by the
CBI, is not accepted by me."
E
In his affidavit dated 21.10.94, in the proceedings for perjury, Shri
Anil Dawra respondent No. 3, once again denied the allegations contained
in the petition regarding the way-laying and detention of the petitioner and
Sushi! Kumar and then went on to say that the allegations "had not been
proved even from the evidence recorded by the CBI". Explaining the
contents of his affidavit dated 20.1.94, he stated that the same had been F
filed "on the basis of the relevant record and as per legal advice and sanction".
He assorted that :

"the deponent did not pressurise or induce Sushi! Kumar directly
or indirectly to give any false statement".
G
We are at a loss to understand as to how respondent No. 3 could
.., , have deposed about the facts in his affidavit "as per legal advice and
sanction". Since, we have already held the affidavit filed by respondent No.
3 on 19.1.94 and 20.1.94 to be false, we need not detain ourselves to make
any further observations in that behalf. H
I

990 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995] 3 S.C.R.

A Shri Sushi! Kumar, taxi driver, in his affidavit filed on 18.10.94, after
tendering his unqualified apology and reiterating that he had earlier also
tendered his unconditional apology at the hearing through his counsel and
sought pardon from this Court and placing himself at the mercy of the
Court went on to depose:

B "The deponent reiterates that the false statement and subsequently
the supporting false affidavit made on 20. 1.94 and 22. 1.94 respectively
were made on account of fear as the deponent along with the
petitioner had been detained at Hissar for two days i.e. 15.1.94 to
17.1.94. Thereafter the deponent was approached by the respon-
c dents No. 4 and 5 at the Feteh Puri Police Chowki on 19.1.94,
where the deponent was brought, so as to appear on the next day
before this Hon'ble Court. At that point of time the deponent was
told to state before this Hon'ble Court that he had not been detained
at Hissar on 15th January 1994 or thereafter. Out of fear of the police
the deponent made a false statement before this Hon'ble Court on
D
20.1. 94 that he had not been detained at Hissar on the said date."

Shri Sham Lal Goel, respondent No. 4, in his reply affidavit m
proceedings for perjnry inter alia stated :

E "That the conclusion of the CBI report attributing the charge that
Shri Sushi! Kumar was taken away from the Police Post, Church
Mission Road, Fatehpuri, Delhi by the answering respondent and
SHO Rajinder Singh is erroneous. The true facts in this regard are
revealed by Shri Sushi! Kumar himself in the statement before the
CBI, as well as in his statement through counsel before this Hon'ble
,
F
Court during the course of hearing that he was not taken away any
where by the answering respondent on 19.1.94. Shri Sushi/ Kumar
has stated in unequivocal term that Shri Rajinder Singh SHO alone
had tutored him to make a false statement before the court on the
19.1.94 and again on the morning of 20.1.94. The answering respon-
G dent had visited the Police Post, Church Mission Road, Fatehpuri,
Delhi under the orders of Shri Anil Dawra, Superintendent of Police
only to verify that Shri Sushi/ Kumar has been traced out so that his ..,
presence before the Court 011 20.1.94 had been ensured. After verify-
ing the facts, the answering respondent conveyed the facts to the
H Superintendent of Police Shri Anil Dawra. Thereafter the answer-
DHANANJAYSHARMA v. STATE [DR.ANAND,J.] 991

ing respondent returned to his room in Haryana Bhawan, where A
~~
he was staying separately and he had no communication either with
the Superintendent of Police or the SHO during that night. The
answering respondent has not influenced or tried to influence
Sushi! Kumar in any manner to make a false statement. The
answering respondent has unfortunately been bracketed alongwith
respondents 3 and 5 only because of his being a subordinate to
B
Shri Anil Dawra and happened' to be present at Haryana Bhawan
New Delhi on the nigkof 19th January 1994, on the direction of
~- Shri Anil Dawra."

Rajinder Singh SHO respondent No. 5 also apart form tendering an c
unqualified apology denied the allegation that he had tutored Sushi! Kumar
or induced him to file a false affidavit or make a false statement in this
Court.

We have minutely considered the affidavits referred to above and the
report of the CBI. The evidence of Shri Surinder Kumar S.I. of Oelhi D
., Police, which is supported by _the Roznamacha entries of the Police Station
' and the statement of Shri Sushi! Kumar as recorded by the CBI and his
affidavit in Court establish that respondents 4 and 5 had pressurised Shri
Sushi! Kumar to give false evidence in this Court and that both of ·them
have, thus, tampered with the evidence during the pendency of the E
proceedings in this Court. The denial of respondents 4 and 5 to have
tutored Shri Sushi! Kumar carries no conviction and does not appeal to us.
The denial is, obviously, false.

After carefully perusing the material on the record, including the
evidence both documentary and oral as recorded by the CBI and hearing F
learned counsel for the parties, the following irresistible conclusions there-
fore arise:

(a) That the detenu Dhananjay Sharma, driver Sushi! Kumar and Shri
S.C. Puri, Advocate, were way-laid by the Haryana Police on the Hissar-
Delhi road on 15.1.94, though they were not wanted in any case by the
G
• ~' Hissar Police.

(b) That while Sh. S.C. Puri, Advocate was allowed to leave after
some arguments, the police personnel took Dhananjay Sharma and Sushi!
Kumar to the police station and detained them there till the evening of H
992 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995]3 S.C.R.

A 17th January 1994. Neither respondent 6 or 7 nor any ~f their employees
was present with the police on 15.1.94 when Dhananjay Sharma and others
were way laid on the Hissar- Delhi border. The affidavit filed by Shri S.C.
Puri, Advocate contains a true and correct account of the incident.
-
(c) That respondents 3 to 5 were taking 'special interest in the
B investigation of case FIR No. 663/93 registered at the Police Station Sadar,
Hissar' on the complaint of respondent No. 6.

( d) That the affidavit filed in reply to the habeas corpus petition by
respondent No. 3 on behalf of respondents 1 to 5 on 20.1.1994 denying the
allegations is false.
c
(e) That the affidavits filed by respondents 3 to 5 denying the
way-laying of the detenu and others on 15.1.94 and their subsequent
detention at the police station are false.

D (f) That the affidavit filed by respondent No. 3 on 20.1.94 on behalf
of respondents 1 to 5 was filed by him without the express knowledge of
respondents 1 and 2 and both of them had not seen the said affidavit till
its copy was supplied to them by the counsel for the State of Haryana.

(g) That both the statements made by Sushi! Kumar driver in the
E court on 20.1.94 and his affidavit dated 22.1.1994 supporting the version
of respondents 3 to 5 are false.

(h) That respondents 4 and.5 had met Sushi! Kumar driver at Delhi
and pressurised him to give a tutored false version in this Court.

F (i) That the false statement and affidavit were made by Sushi! Kumar
on being tutored by respondents 4 and 5 and on account of the fear of the
Hissar Police on 20.1.94 and 22.1.94 respectively.

G) That respondents 6 and 7 are not concerned either with the filing
of the false affidavits by respondent No. 3 to 5 or for tutoring of Sushi!
G
Kumar, by respondents 4 and 5, to make a false statement and file a false
affidavit in this Court.
.... •
(k) That respondents 1 and 2 did not file any reply to the rule 11isi
and inspite of the directions issued by this Court on 19.1.94 respondent No.
H 1 did not file any reply affidavit and dealt with the case in a rather causal
.DHANANJAYSHARMA v. STATE (DR.ANAND,J.] 993

manner. A
The question, therefore, which now requires our consideration is as
to what action, is required to be taken against the respondents.

Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971 (for short the Act) B
defines criminal contempt as "the publication (whether by words, spoken
or written or by signs or visible representation or otherwise) of any matter
or the doing of any other act whatsoever to (1) scandalised or tend to
scandalise or lower or tend to lower the authority of any court; (2) prejudice
or inteifere or tend to inteifere with the due course of judicial proceedings or
(3) inteifere or tend to inteifere with, or obstruct or tend to obstruct the C
administration of justice in any other manner. Thus, any conduct which has
.the tendency to interfere with the administration of justice or the due
course of judicial proceedings amounts to the commission of criminal
contempt. The swearing of false affidavits in judicial proceedings not only
has the tendency of causing obstruction in the due course of judicial D
proceedings but has also the tendency to impede, obstruct and interfere
with the administration of justice. The filing of false affidavits in judicial
proceedings in any court of law exposes the intention of the concerned
party in perverting the course of justice. The due process of law cannot be
permitted to be slighted nor the majesty of law be made a mockery by such
acts or conduct on the part of the parties to the litigation or even while E
appearing as witnesses. Anyone who makes an attempt to impede or
undermine or obstruct the free flow of the unsoiled stream of justice by
resorting to the filing of false evidence, commits criminal contempt of the
court and renders himself liable to be dealt with in accordance with the
Act. Filing of false affidavits or making false statement on oath in Courts F
aims at striking a blow at the Rule of Law and no court can ignore such
conduct which has the tendency to shake public confidence in the judicial
institutions because the very structure of an ordered life is put at stake. It
would be a great public disastor if the fountain of justice is allowed to be
poisoned by anyone resorting to filing of false affidavits or giving of false
statements and fabricating false evidence in a court of law. The stream of G
justice has to be kept clear and pure and anyone soiling its purity must be
dealt with sternly so that the message percolates loud and clear that no one
can be permitted to undermine the dignity of the court and interfere with
the due course of judicial proceedings or the administration of justice. Jn
Chandra Shashi v. Anil Kumar Venna, [1995] 1 SCC 421, the responden;s H
i
994 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995) 3 S.C.R.

A produced a false and fabricated certificate to defeat the claim of the
respondent for transfer of a case. This action was found to be an act
amounting to interference with the administration of justice. Brother Han-
saria, J. speaking for the Bench observed :

"the stream of administration of justice has to remain unpolluted
B so that purity of court's atmosphere may give vitality to all the
organs of the State. Polluters of judicial firmament are, therefore,
required to be well taken care of to maintain the sublimity of
court's environment; so also to enable it to administer justice fairly
and to the satisfaction of all concerned. Anyone who takes recourse
c to fraud deflects the course of judicial proceedings; or if anything
is done with oblique motive, the same interferes with the ad-
ministration of justice. Such persons are required to be properly
dealt with, not only to punish them for the wrong done, but also
to deter others from indulging in similar acts which shake the faith
of people in the system of administration of justice."
D
The actions of respondents 3 to 5 in filing false affidavits and denying
that the detenu and Sushi! Kumar had been whisked away and detained •
illegally in their custody between 15th January 1994 and 17th of January
1994 is not only reprehensible and condemnable but also requires to be
E dealt with rather sternly. The belated apologies offered by them, though
still maintaining that the detenu and Sushi! Kumar had not been detained
by them, even in the face of the evidence recorded by the CBI, as commis-
sioner of this Court, and its report are not apologies of a truly repentent
person but made obviously with a view to escape punishment. Had respon-
F dents 3 to 5 been sincere in their apologies and had they realised their
mistake, there was no reason why respondents 4 and 5 should have sub-
sequently indulged in acts which have the effect of aggravating their
contumacious conduct. During the pendency of the proceedings in this
Court, as already observed, respondent No. 4 Sham Lal Goel and respon-
dent No. 5 Rajinder Singh, SHO 'tutored' Sushi! Kumar taxi driver and
G 'forced' him to make a false statement and filed a false affidavit in this
court and to falsely assert that he had never been way laid by the Haryana
Police and that the story of detention as put forward by Shri Dhananjay .,_ ..
.

Sharma and Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate, was false. Subsequently, not only
before the CBI but also in this Court Sushi! Kumar realised his mistake
H and gave the correct version of the occurrence and also disclosed as to how
DHANANJAYSHARMA v. STATE [DR.ANAND;J.] 995

and why he had made the false statement. It is a matter not only of regret A
and concern but also causes us great anguish to notice that the police
officials, respondents 4 and 5, should have indulged in tutoring Sushi!
Kumar and forced him to give false evidence while proceedings were
pending in this Court. They have aggravated their contumacious acts. Their
action was deliberate and an attempt to over reach the due process of law
without compunction .. Their action is an affront to the Majesty of .Law. ~
Under the circumstances, the question of accepting their belated apology
for which a very strong plea was made by their learned counsel, Mr. R.K.
Jain, Mr. Natarajan and Mr. Lalit does not arise and we have no hesitation
whatsoever in rejecting the belated apologies tendered by respondents 3 to
5, which we do not find to be genuine, bonafide or expression of true C
repentance.

From the facts set out above and the findings recorded by the CBI,
respondents 3 to 5 have, thus committed a grave contempt of this Court by
not only interfering with the due course of justice but also making calcu·
lated and deliberate attempts to obstruct the administration of justice. D

Besides respondents 4 and 5, as already noticed, have aggravated
their contumacious acts by tampering with the evidence during the pen·
dency of proceedings in this court. They have deflected the course of
judicial proceedings. Both of them, therefore, deserve to be punished E
properly not only for the wrong done by them but also to give a proper
signal and deter others from indulging in similar type of activities. In our·
opinion, the interest of public justice demands a deterrent sentence to be
imposed upon them.
F
Though, respondent No. 3 was present in Haryana Bhavan on 19.1.94
and 20.1.94, but there is no material on the record to "show that he was also
a party to the tampering of evidence of Shri Sushi! Kumar. Indeed, he must
have been kept informed -by his subordinates but in the absence of any
positive material on the record, we cannot fasten the liability on him for
forcing Shri Sushi! Kumar to give false evidence in this Court. G

~-.
We, sentence respondent No. 3 to suffer simple imprisonment for a
period of two months for committing contempt of court by filing false
affidavits denying the allegations made in the writ petition and in the
affidavit of Shri S.C. Puri. H
996 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.

A So far as respondents 4 and 5 are concerned, instead of showing any
real contriteness and regret for their wrongful action of filing false af-
fidavits in this Court they have compounded their offence by tutoring Shri
Sushi! Kumar to give false evidence in this .court and have tampered with
the evidence during the pendency of proceedings in this Court, we, there-
fore, sentence each one of them to suffer simple imprisonment for a period
B of three months each and to pay a fine of Rs. 1500 each and in default to
further undergo simple imprisonment for fifteen days each.

So far as respondents 6 and 7 are concerned, there is no material to
show that they are either responsible for the filing of the false affidavits by
C respondents 3 to 5 or for tampering of evidence during the pendency of
proceedings in this Court. May be respondents 3 to 5, acted in the objec-
tionable and high-handed manner to way lay and detain Shri Dhananjay
Sharma and Shri Sushi! Kumar during the investigation of the case FIR No.
663/93 registered on the statement of respondent No. 6 at P.S. Sadar,
D Hissar, to please someone but this is only in the realm of suspicion and it
cannot be said with any amount of certainty whether it was over-zealous-
ness on the part of respondents 3 to 5 during the investigation of the case
or they were trying to prove themselves 'to be more loyal than the king' or
were acting under any extrneous pressure. We are satisfied that neither
respondents 6 and 7 nor any of their employees was present with the poli~
E on 15.1.94 on the Hissar-Delhi Road.

But be that as it may, respondent 6 and 7 cannot be held responsible
for or privy to the actions of respondents 3 to· 5 and they cannot be said
to have committed any contempt of this Court. The rule against them is
F accordingly discharged. ,.

So far as respondent No. 1 Mr. A.N. Mathur, Commissioner and
Secretary to the Government of Haryana, Home Department is concerned,
he did not file any counter affidavit to the mle nisi issued by this Court.
Even in response to the specific directions of this Court dated 19.1.94, he
G chose not to file a counter affidavit. Complaints regarding detention of
citizens cannot be permitted to be treated in such a casual manner by the
State. Whenever a question is raised regarding the illegal detention of a , ,..
citizen in a writ of Habeas Co1pus and the court issues the 1ule nisi, a duty
is cast on the State, through its functionaries and particularly those who
H are arrayed as respondents to the writ petition, to satisfy the court that the
DHANANJAYSHARMA v. STATE[DR.ANAND,J.] 997

detention of the citizen was legal and in conformity not only with the A
mandatory requirements of the law but also with the requirements implicit
in Article 22(5) of the Constitution of India. It is obligatory on the part of
the respondent State to place before the Court all relevant facts relating
to the impugned detention truly, clearly and with utmost fairness through
an affidavit. An affidavit in reply is required to be filed by the respondents B
not as a mere formality but to truly assist the court in drawing permissible
inferences from the rival contentions. The right of personal liberty of a
citizen is all too precious and no one can be permitted to interfere with it
except in accordance with the procedure established by law. The State
owes an obligation to the courts to place all relevant facts before the court
in all cases where interference is alleged by a citizen with his fundamental C
rights. Respondents 1 and 2 were, therefore, under a legal obligation to
inform this Court of the facts regarding the alleged detention of Shri
Dhananjay Sharma and Shri Sushi! Kumar, since notice had been issued to
them in the writ petition. Even after this Court gave specific directions to
respondent No. 1 to file an affidavit about the steps taken by the State to D
trace and produce the detenues in the Court, he failed to file the affidavit.
\.·. We cannot but disapprove the manner in which respondent No. 1 acted
' even after being apprised of the directions of this court to file his counter
affidavit. In his affidavit dated 21.10.94 filed in response to the notice to
show cause in the contempt proceedings, respondent No. 1 stated :
E
"After 20th January, 1994, I made further enquiries from our legal
department including Senior Counsel as to whether, any further
action was required to be taken by me in this matter and in
particular whether in view of the fact that detenues had appeared
before the Hon'ble Court on 20th January, 1994. My understanding F
of the Order of this Hon'ble Court was that I should trace out the
detenues and infomi this Court on affidavit as to the location fomi
where they were found. Since Mr. Dhananjay Sharma himself ap·
peared in Court while Sushi! Kumar had been produced by the
Delhi Police, and was not produced by the Haryana Police/Govern-
ment. I had a bonafide and genuine doubt as to what precise course G
of action was to be adopted by me. On this, I was advised by Senior
.... Counsel that 011 his reading of the order no affidavit needed to be
filed by me as the State had not "produced" the detenues."

We do not think that there was any scope for not understanding the H
998 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995] 3 S.C.R.
A import of our order dated 19.1.94, wherein a specific direction had been
given to respondent No. 1 to file his affidavit. Admittedly, the Haryana
Police officials respondent Nos. 4 and 5 had traced the taxi and had met
Sushi( Kumar before he was produced in Court. Respondent No. 1 was
therefore duty bound to place this information before the court and to obey
B the directions of this Court and file his affidavit. We fail to understand why
any advice was required by him from a senior counsel as to whether or not
to comply with the order of this Court. The directions of this Court are
meant to be complied with and punctually obeyed by all concerned. We
have no reason to doubt that a senior !AS Officer of the status of the Home
Secretary of a State would not be aware of the provisions of Article 144 of
C the Constitution which mandates that "all authorities, civil and judicial, in
the territory of India shall act in aid of the Supreme Court". These authorities
are legally obliged not only to act in aid of the Supreme Court for the
enforcement of the law declared by the Supreme Court but also in aid of
all its orders, decrees or directions. Respondents No. 1, by not filing the
D reply affidavit acted in a casual manner.

Respondent No. 1 in his affidavit dated 21.10.94 has detailed the
system and procedure which was being followed by the State Government
of Haryana in cases of complaints of detention by the citizens. He deposed
that the procedure hithertofore being followed had been that the local
E police authorities file affidavits in courts even where the State Government
is impleaded in the name of the Home Secretary and the officers directly
dealing with the matters, file affidavits depose about the facts in response
to the rule nisi. He has then averred that a decision has now been taken by
the State to create an independent Cell at the Police Headquarters at
F Chandigarh as well as in the Home Department to monitor all cases where
writs of Habeas Corpus are sought by citizens either from the High Court,
or from this Court so that without delay the requisite information can be
placed before the courts by the appropriate authority and no lapses occur
•
on the part of the State in that behalf in future. Respondent No. 1 has then
stated in hil; affidavit:
G
"I respectfully reiterate that my actions in the present case have
been purely motivated by my bonafide understanding of situation
and also on advice received by me. They have not at all emanated
from any sense of casualness as, I submit with great respect, that
H as Home Secretary I would never ever be casual in relation to
DHANANJAYSHARMA. v. STATE[DR.ANAND,J.] 999

matters pending in this Hon'ble Court or in any other court. A
I respectfully once again tender my unqualified apology for any
lapse that might have occurred and respectfully pray that the notice
for contempt may be discharged."

In his further affidavit dated 10.11.94 which was filed in continuation B
of the affidavit dated 21.10.94, Respondent No. 1 has stated that he had
not seen the affidavit filed by respondent No. 3 on 20.1.94 before it was
tendered in this court and that he had not even seen the affidavit filed by
respondent No. 3 on 19.1.94 or on 20.1.94 and that after carefully perusing
the affidavit filed by respondent No. 3 on 20.1.94 and the report of the CBI, C
he found no reason to differ from the opinion given by the CBI, on the
basis of the oral and documentary evidence, that Dhananjay Sharma and
Sushi! Kumar had been way laid on 15.1.94 and kept in illegal detention
from the afternoon of 15.1.94 to 17.1.94 by the Hissar Police. Mr. Gopal
Subramaniam, learned senior counsel appearing for Respondent No. 1 very
frankly conceded that there was lapse on the part of the Home Secretary D
in not filing the affidavit in response to the rn/e nisi and the directions g;ven
by this Court but he submitted that the lapse had occurred on account of
a wrong understanding of the import of the order of the Court and faulty
advice given to him. He submitted that Respondent No. 1 was truly sorry
for his lapses and requested for his apology to be accepted. E
From a consideration of the material on the record, we find that
respondent No. 1 appears to have followed a faulty system, which was
prevailing in the State of Haryana in cases involving detention of the
citizens in the matter of filing of counter affidavit in petitions for habeas
corpus and on a wrong understanding of the import of the order of this F
Court. We are, however, satisfied that the unqualified apology tendered by
him is genuine and an expression of real contriteness and repentance.
Therefore, while cautioning him to be careful in future, we accept his
unqualified apology and the contempt proceedings initiated against him are
allowed to rest here. The rule issued against him is discharged. We hope G
that such lapses shall not occur in the future, since the system, we have
been assured, has now been revamped.

So far as respondent No. 2 is concerned, he also failed to appreciate
his obligations and did not file a counter affidavit although notice was
issued to him also in the habeas corpus petition. While dealing with the H
1000 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) 3 S.C.R.

A case of respondent No. 1, we have highlighted the oblig-ations of the State
and its functionaries.when a ntle nisi is issued by a court in a habeas corpus
petition and those observations apply to him also and we need not repeat
•
the same. Respondent No. 2 has also filed two affidavits and in each one
of them he has explained the steps taken by him after he was apprised of
the pendency of the writ petition in this Court. He has corroborated the
B version given by Respondent No. 1 in his affidavit. After giving the explana-
tion, he has also tendered an unqualified apology. It appears to us that
respondent No. 2 is also truly respondent for the lapses committed by him
and the unqualified apology tendered by him is genuine and bonafide and
not made with a view to escape punishment. We, therefore, accept his
c unqualified apology and discharge the rule against him though warning him
to be careful and not to be casual in such like matters in future.

So far as Shri Sushi! Kumar taxi driver is concerned, he on his own
showing has made a false statement in this Court. He has also filed a false
affidavit. He has on his own showing, thus, committed a grave contempt of
D this Court, besides committing perjury. However, he disclosed the correct
facts to the CBI and reiterated the same subsequently in this Court through
his affidavit. He has placed himself at the mercy of the court, after
tendering an unconditional and unqualified apology, which has been
reiterated at the bar both by him personally and through his Advocate Shri
E Ranjit Kumar. From the report of the CBI and the other material on the
record, we are satisfied that the false statements made by him in this court,
both orally and through his affidavit, were not voluntary and that he was
acting under pressure of respondents 4 and 5. It is, however. no defence
for him to say that he so acted on account of the fear of the police of
Haryana and that he had been 'tutored' by respondents 4 and 5 to make a
F
false statement and file a false affidavit in this Court. He should have
known better. Though, we are of the opi'lion that he his now repentant but
he cannot be allowed to go scot free for the falsehood indulged into by him
in this Court and for his attempt to poison the stream of justice. However,
taking the mitigating circumstances also into consideration, we sentence
G him to one days' simple imprisonment and to a fine of Rs. 1000 and in
default to further undergo fifteen days simple imprisonment, for commit-
ting contempt of this Court. _,
Since, from the report of the CBI and our own independent appraisal
H of the evidence recorded by the CBI, we have come to the conclusion tha!
DHANANJAYSHARMA.v. STATE[FAJZANUDDIN,J.] 1001

Shri Dhananjay Sharma and Sushi! Kumar had been illegally detained by A
respondents 3 to 5 from the afternoon of 15.1.94 to 17.1.94, the State must
be held responsible for the unlawful acts of its officers and it must repair
the damage done to the citizens by its officers for violating their indivisible
fundamental right of personal liberty without any authority of law in an
absolutely high-handed manner. We would have been, therefore, inclined B
't to direct the State Government of Haryana to compensate Dhananjay
Sharma and Sushi! Kumar but since Sushi! Kumar has indulged in false-
hood in this Court and Shri Dhananjay Sharma, has also exaggerated the
incident by stating that on 15.1.94 when he was way laid along with Sushi!
Kumar and Shri S.C. Puri, Advocate, two employees of respondents 6 and
7 were also present with the police party, which version has not been found C
to be correct by the CBI, they both have disentitled themselves from
receiving any compensation, as monetary amends for the wrong done by
respondents 3 to 5, in detaining them. We, therefore do not direct the
payment of any compensation to them.

Since, we have held respondents 3 to 5 and Sushi! Kumar Taxi
D
Driver, guilty of committing contempt of this Court and have punished
them in the manner indicated above, we. drop the proceedings in so far as
commission of perjury is concerned.

FAIZAN UDDIN, J. I have had the advantage of reading the judg- E
men! written by my learned brother Dr. Anand, J ., and I entirely endorse
what has been said by him, the orders passed and the directions given by
my learned brother. Learned brother has in his jndgment elaborately .set
out the relevant facts in details as well as the circumstances under which
the unfortunate situation has been brought about by the concerned police F
officials and in fact it is not necessary for me to add anything further. But
with profound respect to my learned brother I propose to express a few
concurring observations of my own as I cannot remain without expressing
my anguish and grave displeasure on the undesirable conduct with which
the said police officials have projected themselves. It is perhaps one of the
most unpleasant episode in the history of the force which has bene exposed G
in the portals of the highest court of land which has plunged the members
of the force and its reputation to a new low probably out of a frenetic zeal
to please some one best known to the officials concerned.

In the present case before us it appears the roncerned police officials H
1002 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 3 S.C.R.
.
A deliberately clogged their mind and shut their eyes to the realities and the
fact that the primary duties and function of the members of the police force
is to prevent and detect the crime, to take such measures to ensure the
safety of the life, property and liberty of the citizens and accord such
protection in that behalf as may be necessary and thereby serve the
B community and at the same time obey the orders issued to them by the
competent authorities with regard to prevention of commission of offences
and public nuisance etc. It was this object for which the police force was
conceived and it was this purpose for which it exists. But to our dismay, it
is distressing to note that quite often when every morning one opens the
newspapers and goes through its various columns, one feels very much
C anguished and depressed in reading reports of custodial rapes and deaths,
kidnapping, abduction and faked police encounters and all sorts of other
offences and lawlessness by the police personnel, of whicb countless glaring
and concrete examples are not lacking.

D It is in common knowledge that in recent times our administrative
system is passing through a most practical phase, particularly, the policing
system which is not as effective as it ought to be and unless some practical
correctional steps and measures are taken without further delay, the danger
looms large when the whole orderly society may be in jeopardy. It would,
indeed, be a sad day if the general public starts entertaining an impression
E that the police force does not exist for the protection of society's benefits
but it operates mainly for its own benefit and once such an impression
comes to prevail, it would lead to disastrous consequences.

In the instant case before us as noticed and high-lighted by my
F learned brother at the Bench, we express our grave displeasure over the
whole episode. The police officials, respondents Nos. 3 to 5 herein, namely,
the Superintendent of Police Hissar Shri Anil Davra, Addi. Superintendent
of Police Hissar Shri Sham Lal Goel and SHO Hissar Shri Rajendra Singh,
totally misdirected themselves by not allowing the truth to come out before
this Court. They had the audacity to make false affidavits in the apex Court
G to cover up their illegal acts. It is a matter of concern that even senior
police officials of the status of SSP and DSP should not realise their
obligations to the courts and indulge in blatant falsehood with a view to
mislead the court. We cannot but strongly condemn this attitude on their
part. Not only this but the respondents Nos. 4 and 5 even went to the extent
H of forcing the Taxi Driver Sushi! Kumar to make a false affidavit and false
DHANANJAYSHARMA. v. STATE[DR.ANAND.J.] 1003

statement on oath before this Court by denying the allegations contained A
in the petition, with a view to misguide this Court and hamper the course
of justice. They had not only chosen a wrong path for themselves, contrary
to the principles of the institution to which they belong, but they also tried
to detract the Taxi driver from divulging the truth to mislead this Court
which was concerned with the liberty of"a citizen. They went on to reiterate B.
their false stand till after the CBI enquiry report was received and wisdom
dawned upon them to tender apology only when they found themselves in
a tight corner and had no way out to escape. In such circumstances, by no
stretch of imagination, it can be said to be a real repentence of what they
have done.

By indulging in such disruptionery manner as indicated herein above
c
by my learned brother in the preceding paragraphs, the respondents Nos.
3 to 5 acted in most irresponsible manner giving an impression that they
were not the defenders of truth and protectors of the citizens but violators ·
of the law and justice and thereby defaced the name of the force to which
they belong. They acted with gross impropriety and intentionally committed D
\ .. serious and grevious wrong of clearly unredeeming nature, while it was
expected from the seniors of the rank of SSP and Addi. SP that they atleast
would observe the high standards in maintaining impartiality and promote
public confidence in the force. The Court expects condour and frankness
from the parties to the litigation before it. We cannot allow the court E
proceedings to be triffled with. In the facts and circumstances of the case
respondent Nos. 3 to 5 do deserve the punishment awarded to them to ·
serve as a deterent to others in future.

R.P. Petition disposed of.