SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, April 9: In an unusual and intense hearing, the Jharkhand High Court sat three times in a single day on Thursday to deal with escalating allegations against Bokaro Police in a sensitive habeas corpus case.
The division bench comprising Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad first heard the matter in the regular session, then reassembled at 12 noon, and had earlier taken up the case again in a special post-lunch sitting, reflecting the urgency and gravity of the situation.
The repeated sittings came amid shocking allegations of custodial assault, witness intimidation, and police interference in an ongoing court-monitored case.
From missing girl to alleged police excesses
The case initially revolved around a missing 18-year-old girl, where the court had already flagged a 10-day delay in FIR registration, calling it a serious lapse.
However, the matter took a dramatic turn when the petitioner, Rekha Devi, informed the court that police were targeting her relatives. One of them, Samapad Mahato, was allegedly picked up, assaulted, and coerced, with medical reports indicating serious head injuries, including neurological complications.
Even as the court was hearing the matter, fresh allegations surfaced that another relative, Taroni Mahato, was being threatened to give a false statement denying the assault, failing which he would face fabricated cases.
The bench observed that such conduct prima facie amounts to interference with the administration of justice.
Court summons DGP, cracks whip on Bokaro Police
Alarmed by the developments, the High Court summoned the Director General of Police (DGP) Tadasha Mishra, who appeared via video link.
Under direct court scrutiny, the DGP informed that immediate action had been taken:
- The officer-in-charge (SHO) and concerned police personnel were removed from the investigation
- They were also sent to inactive duty pending inquiry
- A DIG-rank officer will head a one-man committee to probe the allegations
The court made it clear it was not concerned with internal committees alone, but with ensuring accountability on the ground.
Medical evidence under court watch: Army hospital roped in
Taking no chances with the alleged assault, the High Court ordered that Samapad Mahato be medically examined by an independent Medical Board at the Military Hospital, Namkum (Ranchi).
The Union of India was made a party to facilitate this, and the court directed that the report be submitted in a sealed cover. The Civil Surgeon was tasked with ensuring the patient’s transfer from a private clinic to the military facility.
Clear warning: SP to be personally accountable
In one of the strongest observations, the bench reiterated that any harm to the petitioner or her family would lead to personal accountability of the Bokaro Superintendent of Police.
The court’s repeated sittings, direct monitoring, and immediate corrective orders signal a zero-tolerance approach toward police excesses, procedural lapses, and intimidation tactics.
The matter is now listed for April 15, with the DGP directed to appear again.
