Allahabad High Court Rebukes Basti SP for Mentioning Deputy CM and Legal Errors in Affidavit
The Allahabad High Court has strongly criticized the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Basti district, Uttar Pradesh, for unnecessarily mentioning the state's Deputy Chief Minister in an affidavit related to a murder attempt investigation. A division bench comprising Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena directed the SP to file a personal affidavit explaining this reference. The court also reprimanded the SP for displaying a lack of basic legal knowledge by stating that anticipatory bail applications were pending before a magistrate, noting that magistrates lack the jurisdiction to entertain such pleas. This development is part of an ongoing petition seeking a fair investigation into a September 2025 case where the petitioner was critically injured by neighbors. The court had previously taken issue with the SP suspending the investigating officer for obtaining a non-bailable warrant, terming the suspension prima facie contempt of court. The SP’s earlier explanations were deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the latest strict observations. The next hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2026, with the court warning of potential criminal contempt proceedings if satisfactory explanations are not provided regarding the suspension and the affidavit contents.
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Allahabad High Court Rebukes Basti SP for Mentioning Deputy CM and Legal Errors in Affidavit
The Allahabad High Court has strongly criticized the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Basti district, Uttar Pradesh, for unnecessarily mentioning the state's Deputy Chief Minister in an affidavit related to a murder attempt investigation. A division bench comprising Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena directed the SP to file a personal affidavit explaining this reference. The court also reprimanded the SP for displaying a lack of basic legal knowledge by stating that anticipatory bail applications were pending before a magistrate, noting that magistrates lack the jurisdiction to entertain such pleas. This development is part of an ongoing petition seeking a fair investigation into a September 2025 case where the petitioner was critically injured by neighbors. The court had previously taken issue with the SP suspending the investigating officer for obtaining a non-bailable warrant, terming the suspension prima facie contempt of court. The SP’s earlier explanations were deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the latest strict observations. The next hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2026, with the court warning of potential criminal contempt proceedings if satisfactory explanations are not provided regarding the suspension and the affidavit contents.
The Indian Express