YSRCP Calls Out Gurazala Police For Flouting Norms on Parading Accused
The High Court has clearly directed that accused persons should not be publicly paraded. The incident has raised serious concerns over violation of court orders and police highhandedness.
Palnadu: The YSR Congress Party has strongly criticised the Gurazala police for allegedly violating Andhra Pradesh High Court guidelines by publicly parading accused persons on Sunday.
The incident occurred in connection with an attack on a local party leader from Telukutla village in Gurazala mandal, where several individuals were arrested. After conducting a press interaction, the police reportedly escorted the accused to court by making them walk along the road in public view.
In a post on their YSRCP X handle, the video of the accused being paraded barefoot in the streets till they reached the Divisional Police Office was shared. Condemning the actions of the police clearly violate Andhra Pradesh High Court directives that prohibit the public parading of accused persons, as it undermines their legal rights and dignity before a court verdict.
The AP High Court has time and again emphasised that every accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty and must be treated with dignity. Public parading, the court noted, violates the right to privacy and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. It also warned that such actions could lead to media trials and prejudice a fair investigation and trial.
Last month the AP High Court while hearing a PIL filed by Parasa Suresh Kumar, Krishna district president of Society for Protection of Civil Property and Environmental Rights, strongly criticised the AP police for treating accused persons in an inhuman manner, and violating constitutional safeguards by parading them on public roads, and presenting them before the media.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Challa Gunaranjan, observed that every accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and questioned the growing practice of escorting arrested persons in public view, exposing them to print and electronic media.
