Overview
- Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal rejected the SHO and IO’s apology and storage excuse, finding deliberate disobedience of the Lalitpur CJM’s orders.
- Both officers were held guilty of contempt and kept in courtroom custody until 4 pm under the February 19 order.
- Citing routine failures in police-station CCTV upkeep, the court made random after-hours inspections by CJMs and Judicial Magistrates part of their official duty.
- The bench granted bail to Sanu alias Rashid, noted his three-day illegal detention in violation of DK Basu guidelines, and directed Rs 1 lakh compensation recoverable from erring officers’ salaries.
- The court questioned the night arrest of a female co-accused, warned police to cooperate with inspections, and asked the Uttar Pradesh DGP to take appropriate action.