The Supreme Court set aside an order of the Madras High Court that had directed Tamil Nadu Police to “secure and take action” against now-suspended Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) H.M. Jayaram in connection with the abduction of an 18-year-old teenager.
Given the “controversial circumstances” and no objection offered by the Tamil Nadu government, a Bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan directed that the matter be handed over to CB-CID (Crime Branch- Criminal Investigation Department) for further investigation.
The Justice Bhuyan-led Bench was dealing with a special leave petition (SLP) filed by the senior IPS official seeking a stay on the impugned Madras High Court directive.
During the course of the hearing on Wednesday, the apex court raised eyebrows over the suspension order issued by the Tamil Nadu Home Department and asked the state government’s counsel to seek instructions on the withdrawal of the ADGP Jayaram’s suspension.
“He is a senior police official. Where is the question of suspending him when he has joined the investigation? You cannot do this. This is very demoralising,” the Justice Bhuyan-led bench had remarked.
After obtaining instructions from the Tamil Nadu government, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, on Thursday, submitted that ADGP Jayaram was suspended following his involvement in the alleged crime and not pursuant to the impugned order of the Madras High Court.
Dave stated that the All India Service Rules provided for the suspension of an official until the completion of the probe. In view of the state government’s stand, the top court, in its order, recorded that the petitioner (ADGP Jayaram) would have the option to avail his remedies against the suspension order. Further, the Justice Bhuyan-led Bench asked the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to assign the alleged abduction case to a different Bench.
On Monday, Tamil Nadu Police took ADGP Jayaram into custody as he exited the Madras High Court premises, and was immediately taken to Thiruvalangadu police station for interrogation.
The senior IPS official is accused of facilitating the abduction of a minor boy by allegedly providing his official vehicle to a gang involved in forcibly separating a couple.
The abduction case centres around a complaint lodged by a woman named Lakshmi, whose elder son had married a woman from Theni district against her family’s wishes. The couple reportedly went into hiding, fearing retaliation. In an attempt to locate the couple, members of the woman’s family, allegedly aided by hired men, barged into Lakshmi’s home and abducted her younger son in their absence. The boy was later found abandoned near a hotel, injured and traumatised.
Subsequent investigation revealed that an official car linked to ADGP Jayaram was allegedly used in the abduction, prompting the Madras High Court to take direct, immediate action against the senior IPS official.
On Tuesday, the matter reached the Supreme Court, and a bench of Justices Bhuyan and Manmohan agreed to hear the SLP on June 18. His lawyer said: “Yesterday, an ADGP rank officer was arrested on the direction of the Madras High Court. The SLP has been filed today at 10 a.m. Kindly list the matter for urgent hearing.”
As per the SLP filed before the apex court, there was absolutely no material on record warranting his custodial interrogation, and the “arbitrary and prejudicial directions” were issued without due process, infringing his fundamental right to equality before the law and protection of life and personal liberty.
Pertinently, the state’s government on Wednesday submitted before the top court that ADGP Jayaram was not arrested since he joined the investigation.
