A Station House Officer (SHO) appeared before Telangana High Court on Friday for not registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the son of a district judge for alleged assault and sexual harassment despite the complaint filed by a sacked woman employee.
On the direction of the court, Karimnagar Two Town police station SHO Odela Venkatesh personally appeared before the bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Anil Kumar.
Hearing a petition filed by the woman office subordinate, who worked at the residences of additional district judges in Karimnagar, the bench took serious note of the SHO not registering FIR, and on the previous hearing on February 14 directed him to appear.
The court was informed by Additional Advocate General Mohammed Imran on Friday that the FIR was registered on February 14. He apologised to the court on behalf of government counsel for defending the delay in registering the FIR.
The bench observed that there is a need for police to change their behaviour towards people. It said police are there to help the people and not to scare them. It also remarked that people do not go to police stations for fun. People do not wish to go to doctors, lawyers and police.
The court asked the Additional Advocate General to convey their suggestion to the Director General of Police to conduct classes to make police personnel change their behaviour and know their duties. The bench noted that the action in not registering FIR was defended on the ground that the woman lodged the complaint as she was sacked from her job. The court observed even if the complaint is false FIR should be registered given the serious nature of allegations. The truth would have come out during the investigation.
As the FIR was registered by the police, the court disposed of the petition filed by the complainant. However, it made it clear that the SHO will have to give the clarification for not registering the FIR. The police official was directed to file an affidavit, giving reasons for not registering the FIR. The court posted the next hearing to March 4.
The woman employee at the residences of additional district judges in Karimnagar was sacked on October 6, 2023 on the ground that she suppressed her qualification to secure the office subordinate post. Some other employees were also sacked on the same ground. She, however, alleged that she was singled out by officials by registering an FIR against her as she spoke against the harassment she faced at the hands of a woman district judge. She complained that when she went to the police station to lodge a complaint, the FIR was not registered.