Telangana High Court expresses ire on Miryalaguda police report

Hyderabad: The High Court on Wednesday wondered that how a minor punishment of censure can be imposed on a police officer who had resorted to violation of human rights of the five accused persons under the Miryalaguda police station limits were forced to move barricades at TS-AP border, Vadapalli for 12 hours violating human rights.

The Chief Justice Bench expressed discontent and said that the minimum of the major punishment ought to have been slapped against the police officers such as postponement of increments with the cumulative effect so that it acts as a deterrent and will not pave way for other police officers to resort to such type of acts in future during their duty.

The High Court Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy was hearing a public interest litigation on Wednesday filed by Baglekar Akash Kumar from Hyderabad with a plea that every day the Nalgonda District Miryalaguda Rural Police Station Inspector A Ramesh Babu is compelling five accused persons booked under petty cases, from various police stations in Miryalaguda limits, who are in their 20s, to reach TS-AP border at Vadapalli and are forced to move barricades left and right continuously for 12 hours, thereby violating human rights.

The court also found fault with the high handedness of the police in subjecting the five accused to sign written statements as the content of the written statements are the same, except for a change in names of the accused.

The counsel for the petitioner, citing a report based on a news story that appeared in an English daily, said the police action in this incident was illegal as they deprived the rights of the five accused by subjecting them to move the barricades in the hot sun and the court in its earlier hearing had declined to accept the contentions of the petitioner stating that it is baseless, as the article in the English daily newspaper was not buttressed with any cogent evidence.

Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad informed the Bench that the top brass of the police department is making all efforts to sensitise police officers and prayed the court to close this issue as the action has already been initiated against the delinquent officer.

Moreover, Advocate General assured the Bench that he will also advise the police department so that such issues do not arise in future. The Bench adjourned the matter by three weeks directing the petitioner to raise any of his contentions on the report filed by the Miryalaguda police.

Formulate a software like Delhi govt for the benefit of Covid-19 patients: HC

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday initiated the State government to formulate a software which the Delhi government has formulated. It is being used in all Covid-19 designated hospitals spread across Delhi, wherein any person/patient throngs a Covid-19 designated hospital will get first-hand information as to the availability of beds, ventilators, doctors and other related information. This saves patients time and facilitates in getting treatment in the shortest period.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy heard a public interest litigation on Wednesday filed by Advocate Karnati Shiva Ganesh seeking a direction to the State Government to direct all Covid-19 designated hospitals in State to affix Live Dashboards in the hospitals to facilitate the patients to get first-hand information on the data pertaining to the availability of beds, ventilators and other medical equipment for the benefit of patients.

Further, Chief Justice Chauhan asked the Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad as to why can't the Telangana State Government ask the Delhi State Government to share such software so that patients in the State also get the benefit of such information.

Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad informed the Court that the State government has already commenced the work of developing software on this issue and sought a week's time to furnish updated information to the court. The Bench adjourned the matter to July 14.